Jaouen Hadjam’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign has come to an abrupt and painful end, cutting short what was meant to be a defining tournament for the Algerian defender and forcing the national team into another early adjustment.
Algeria head coach Vladimir Petković confirmed that Hadjam will play no further part in AFCON 2025 after sustaining an injury during the group-stage clash with Burkina Faso.
The decision follows medical assessments and internal discussions that ultimately led to the player being released from the squad to continue his rehabilitation with Swiss club Young Boys.
Hadjam’s tournament unravelled within minutes of kickoff against Burkina Faso. A forceful challenge left the left-back in visible discomfort, and the severity of the incident prompted a VAR review amid concerns over a potential red card. Despite the intervention, the referee opted to caution the Burkina Faso player, allowing play to continue.
The incident proved costly for Algeria. Although Hadjam received treatment and attempted to carry on, the pain quickly resurfaced.
He collapsed again moments later, clearly unable to continue, and signalled to the bench for substitution. From that point, his prospects of further involvement in the competition were already in doubt.
Petković later revealed that the Algerian technical staff explored the possibility of keeping Hadjam with the squad, hoping he might recover in time to contribute later in the tournament.
However, the medical verdict and the player’s condition made that option unrealistic. The final decision was to prioritise his long-term health by allowing him to return to his club and complete his recovery in a controlled environment.
