Islam Slimani has made a strong plea for a decisive policy on dual-national footballers amid ongoing debates over player commitment to Algeria’s national team.
Speaking as a guest on the Kampo podcast hosted by journalist Smail Bouabdellah, the former Sporting CP striker did not mince words when addressing what he sees as a recurring issue undermining national team unity.
Slimani, who remains a legendary figure among the Fennecs faithful, called for an end to the uncertainty surrounding dual-national players hesitating to commit to Algeria.
“You don’t choose to be Algerian, French or English. You don’t choose Algeria!” he insisted, expressing his disapproval of how some players reportedly weigh their international allegiance as a career decision rather than a matter of identity.
Though he didn’t name names, Slimani’s pointed remarks were widely interpreted as referencing recent cases such as that of Rayan Cherki, whose national team future has sparked debate in both France and Algeria.
The 35-year-old went further, proposing a strict and unprecedented policy to address the issue once and for all: “For me, we must set a rule: if you are called once and you refuse, you must not be selected again.”
This no-nonsense stance, while controversial, underlines Slimani’s frustration with what he views as a lack of respect for the Algerian shirt.
He believes national team selection should be treated as an honour, not as a secondary option or fallback.
“It’s not a career choice,” he continued. “That’s clear!” His conviction echoes growing concerns among supporters and former players who feel that Algeria’s national identity is being treated as a backup plan by some eligible players with multiple passports.
Slimani’s comments also implicitly challenge the Algerian Football Federation to implement clearer and stricter guidelines around the selection of dual-nationality players.
Currently, the process is often shrouded in media speculation and marked by drawn-out decision-making from players with eligibility for multiple nations.
The former Monaco and Lyon striker’s statement is likely to resonate with fans tired of transfer-window-style drama surrounding national team call-ups.
Whether the federation will act on his suggestion remains to be seen, but the message from one of Algeria’s most capped and committed forwards is unequivocal: Algeria’s colours are not to be courted—they must be embraced wholeheartedly or not at all.
