It's a real bomb that a former Algerian international has just dropped. The Algerian Football team allegedly deliberately lost an African Cup of Nations (CAN) final in the 1980s, at the request of the country's highest authorities.
Salah Assad is one of the emblematic players of the 1980s generation. He notably took part in the epic 1982 World Cup in Spain where the Algerians caused a sensation by beating Germany (2-1).
Regularly appearing on the sets of Algerian television channels, Assad is known for his measured tone and caution.
In a recent appearance on Echorouk News, the former Greens flying winger made a shattering revelation about an event that happened 45 years ago. According to him, the Algerian team slowed down during the final of the 1980 African Cup of Nations, lost to Nigeria 0-3.
Algeria had reached this stage of the competition for the first time in its history. Before the final, says Salah Assad, the Minister of Youth and Sports at the time, Djamel Houhou, came to see the players to thank them, telling them that “ the objective is more than achieved ».
Algeria at CAN 1980: resounding revelation from Salah Assad
The minister specified that he had been sent by the President of the Republic, Chadli Bendjedid and explained that the President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, “ wanted the cup to stay with him “. Nigeria was experiencing internal political problems at the time, Assad recalled.
« On the pitch we tried to play, but… “, he revealed.
This period in the history of Algerian football is quite paradoxical. Algeria had the best team in Africa, but was never able to win the CAN and had to wait until they hosted the tournament in 1990.
Salah Assad's revelations perhaps constitute the beginning of an explanation for the Greens' long drought in the African Cup in the 1980s, where they reached the final once and the semi-final three times.
ON THE SAME SUBJECT:
Football: a former Algerian international pursued in France by his Saudi setbacks
