Lahlou Akhrib aiming to rediscover his confidence after pressure stalled his progress

Lahlou Akhrib has been named eighth in the #TalentsAlgeriens series, which profiles 25 young players to watch in the 2026/27 Algerian Ligue 1 season. The JS Kabylie winger is highly rated, but his development has been slowed by pressure and a loss of confidence.

The 21-year-old was regarded from his teenage years as one of the most promising players of his generation. Yet he eventually found himself being booed by his own supporters, including during matches at JS Kabylie.

“I enter the stadium and they boo me from the warm-up, and I leave the stadium to boos as well,” he told Abdelkader Bouchaala, one of the coaches who has followed his development since his early years.

Akhrib has spent little time playing alongside footballers his own age. He was repeatedly promoted through the age groups and made his first official Ligue 1 appearance for JS Kabylie in January 2024, aged only 18.

Rabah Bensafi, who managed JS Kabylie towards the end of last season, and Arezki Remmane, the former Algeria Under-17 manager who is now technical director at USMA, have both highlighted how quickly Akhrib progressed through the youth system.

Bouchaala, a youth coach who has worked with CRB and USMA before joining MCA, first noticed him when he was 15. But the speed of his rise may also have brought unexpected pressure, with expectations changing rapidly once he became a senior player.

A winger whose game is built on power

Sofiane Benkhelifa, a coach and academy developer who has worked with USMA, Olympique Akbou and ES Setif, describes the latest stage of Akhrib’s development as one of stagnation. A small number of underwhelming performances were enough to alter the perception of the winger.

Bensafi believes Akhrib’s response should not be to accept even more pressure. The focus, instead, should be on helping him regain the freedom to express his qualities.

Those qualities extend beyond dribbling. Akhrib is not simply a small winger who constantly seeks one-on-one duels. His game is based more on explosiveness, strength and his ability to attack space.

Dragan Paljic, who was Josef Zinnbauer’s assistant at JS Kabylie last season, also praised Akhrib’s commitment and daily work. He considers him technically well trained, with a good left foot and a strong investment in training. His time with the senior team has improved his tactical understanding, although developing his right foot remains an area for improvement.

Akhrib must also become more effective when confronting a settled defender, while retaining his ability to run in behind and contribute significant effort.

Taranto offers a reminder of his ability

His summer with the Algeria Under-21 side therefore carried particular importance. At the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Akhrib found a different environment and recovered positive sensations.

He scored against Italy and then against Albania in an important qualification match, before helping Algeria complete its run to the title. The tournament did not resolve every difficulty he had experienced at JS Kabylie, but it provided recent evidence that he can still influence matches under pressure.

Akhrib began the opening league game against Rouissat on the bench before coming on. Competition for attacking places remains strong, and Karim Belhocine is unlikely to offer him an automatic starting role.

Akhrib’s qualities have not disappeared. Coaches continue to point to his speed, power, work rate and potential. What had faded was his ability to use them without hesitation.

The Mediterranean title will not end the competition or the criticism at JS Kabylie, but it may remind Akhrib of something he appeared to have lost: the confidence to play without fearing mistakes.