Who is Felix Sanchez, the coach tipped to lead Algeria?

Felix Sanchez has emerged as the leading candidate to become Algeria’s next manager after the country’s technical department narrowed the shortlist to three names.

The Direction technique nationale (DTN) held a meeting at the Centre technique national de Sidi Moussa on Thursday and reduced the number of possible successors to Vladimir Petkovic. Rafael Benitez and Tom Saintfiet remain in contention, but Sanchez is now considered the preferred option, according to information released after the meeting.

The 50-year-old Spaniard is still a relatively unfamiliar figure to many Algerian supporters. His reputation is chiefly associated with Qatar, whom he guided to their first AFC Asian Cup title in 2019. However, his standing was damaged three years later when Qatar’s 2022 World Cup campaign ended with three defeats in three matches on home soil.

That disappointing tournament remains part of Sanchez’s record, but it does not tell the full story of a career built in an unusual way. Unlike many high-profile coaches, he was not a former elite player who moved into management. Instead, he developed almost entirely from the training ground, beginning at one of the world’s most renowned academies.

From La Masia to Qatar

Sanchez joined FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy when he was only 21. He spent almost 10 years there and helped develop several generations of young players. The experience shaped his coaching outlook and established him first as a youth developer before he became a national-team manager.

In 2006, aged 30, he made a bold decision to leave Barcelona and move to Qatar, joining the newly established Aspire Academy. He arrived well before Qatar became one of football’s major global centres, and his first role in the country was focused on player development rather than the senior national team.

When Sanchez discussed his influences with France Football in 2019, he highlighted several figures from the Barcelona coaching and academy tradition. Josep Colomer, Barcelona’s former technical director, was the person he said he had learned the most from. He also referred to Rodolfo Borrell, another respected youth-development specialist who later worked at Manchester City.

His biggest influence, however, was Pep Guardiola, whom Sanchez described as his “greatest reference”. He immediately added an important qualification, saying that a coach must “build himself” rather than simply copy another manager’s ideas.

That distinction helps explain Sanchez’s football. He favours teams that control matches, retain possession and take the initiative, principles commonly linked with Barcelona’s style. But he does not treat that philosophy as an unbreakable doctrine. His experience in Algeria would therefore be closely watched, particularly because the appointment of a Spanish coach is likely to create expectations about the team’s playing style.

His close relationship with Xavi

Qatar’s 2019 Asian title also revealed an important but less well-known connection between Sanchez and Xavi. At the time, the former Barcelona playmaker was still playing for Al Sadd and knew many of Qatar’s internationals well.

Sanchez said he was very close to Xavi, describing their relationship as being “like friends”. During the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, the pair spoke every day even though Xavi was not part of the national-team squad.

His influence was significant. Seven of Qatar’s starters in the 3-1 final victory over Japan played for Al Sadd. Sanchez particularly valued Xavi’s contribution in training, his professionalism and his ability to pass on his understanding of the game.

Qatar’s success was therefore produced within a close footballing network involving Aspire Academy, Al Sadd and a number of coaches influenced by Barcelona’s football culture.

A manager who knew his players

The defining feature of Sanchez’s Qatar career was its length and continuity. When he took charge of the senior national team in 2017, he already knew much of the squad. Several of the players who later became full internationals had worked with him for years.

After his time at Aspire, Sanchez managed Qatar’s Under-19 side and led them to the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship title. He subsequently worked with the Under-20 and Under-23 teams before progressing to the senior job.

A France Football profile published in 2019 included a revealing assessment from Almoez Ali, who would later finish as the leading scorer at the Asian Cup with nine goals. Ali said he had worked with Sanchez since he was 14 and regarded the coach almost as a father.

That kind of long-term relationship will be difficult to recreate in Algeria. It is one of the questions surrounding Sanchez’s candidacy, because his greatest achievement came after a lengthy development process. A coach of Algeria is normally expected to produce convincing results much more quickly.

More than possession

Linking Sanchez solely with Barcelona, Guardiola and possession football could give a misleading impression of his methods. In his interview with France Football, he described his ideal team as organised, capable of keeping the ball, controlling games and transitioning quickly.

At the same time, he placed strong emphasis on adapting to the balance of power in each match. Qatar dominated possession in their 6-0 win over North Korea at the 2019 Asian Cup. Against Saudi Arabia and then South Korea, however, Sanchez instructed his side to drop their defensive block by about 20 metres.

The same approach was visible in the final against Japan. Qatar started by taking control, scored twice quickly and then adjusted when their opponents changed their approach.

Sanchez summed up his outlook clearly: “It is always necessary to be realistic.” That may be the most accurate description of the coach Algeria could appoint a manager formed by Barcelona’s footballing culture, but pragmatic enough not to view possession as an end in itself.