Madjer's Mixed Verdict: Algeria's AFCON Rise Meets Caution
29 December 2025
Madjer warns Africa's giants in CAN today.
The Algerian national team has advanced to the Round of 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, becoming the third qualifier after Egypt and Nigeria. The victory came in a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso on Sunday evening, thanks to a penalty converted by captain Riyad Mahrez in the 23rd minute.
The match featured a high-profile presence, as legend Zinedine Zidane attended for the second consecutive game, alongside Algerian football icon Rabah Madjer. Madjer offered his thoughts on coach Vladimir Petkovic's squad and appeared not entirely convinced by the team's performance despite the positive results.
Madjer told Foot Mercato: 'I can't say we played a great match. In the first game, Sudan played with ten men, and when the opponent has a numerical advantage it's hard to come back; we exploited that. Today we faced many problems against Burkina Faso, and we were fortunate to score from a penalty.'
He added, warning: 'As I just said, we must find solutions for the upcoming games in the knockout stage, because we will face very strong teams with one clear goal in mind: to go far in this tournament.'
Asked about Riyad Mahrez's performance, which sparked some controversy, Madjer replied firmly: 'I know what you want to say. We must always thank Mahrez; he has given a lot to the national team. It's true he didn't run much today, but he is still a very great player. We should congratulate him and support him more for the upcoming matches.'
Analysts say the result keeps Algeria in the running for a deep run.
Punchline 1: If precision counted in laughs, Algeria just scored beautifully.
