When Rumors Meet the Pitch: Algeria's AFCON Drama Turns Out to Be Snack-Sized

What happened

A circulating clip on social media sparked a wide wave of controversy ahead of Algeria's clash with DR Congo in the AFCON 2025 knockout stage in Morocco, accusing an Algerian player of stealing food from the team's lodging, only for the claims to be proven false.

Social media posts claimed Adel Bolbina stole food from the Marriott hotel buffet in Rabat, where the Green Army squad were staying.

What the investigations found

However, investigations clarified the video did not originate at the lodging, but at the Mohammed VI Academy where the Algerian team trains, several kilometers away from the hotel.

Also, the table in the clip, loaded with dried fruits, was not from a hotel buffet, but a post-training snack prepared for players, a routine practice in clubs and national teams.

And this incident followed days of similar controversy after staff members were accused of stealing CAF balls, later revealed to involve a person not connected to the squad, with the balls used legally during warm-ups against Guinea and then returned.

PUNCHLINE 1: If rumors were goals, Algeria would be top of the table—except this one was offside from the start.

PUNCHLINE 2: They say the only thing stolen here was the spotlight; luckily, it returned to the organizers with the whistle still in tow.