The recent declarations of Djamel Benlamri have caused a real shock wave within the Algerian football sphere. During a live broadcast on social networks, the former international defender openly criticized the integration of binational players into the national team, questioning their patriotic commitment.
For Benlamri, the elimination of Algeria against Cameroon during qualifying for the 2022 World Cup would be a punishment for the team, particularly because of the presence of dual nationals
“who don't even know Kassaman”the Algerian national anthem. According to Benlamri, these players would be adored, privileged and systematically recalled, despite their performances.
These very controversial comments sparked reactions from several figures in Algerian football, notably former internationals Nasser Bouiche and Nordine Kourichi, as well as former coach Nasser Sendjak. All reacted firmly to Benlamri's criticism, to the newspaper The World, defending with conviction the contribution of dual nationals to the team.
Nasser Bouiche, a former international from the 1980s, considered these statements “clumsy”. “This may flatter the patriotic fiber, please certain people who believe that there are not enough locals in the selection, but it is not a very mature reflection. Djamel Benlamri is clumsy to attack players who were his teammates”he declared. Bouiche insisted on the importance of dual nationals for Algeria, stressing that their integration within the team is essential.
Nordine Kourichi, also a former international and deputy of Vahid Halilhodzic, himself a binational born in France, also protested against Benlamri's comments, recalling that
“knowing the national anthem does not win matches”. He insisted that dual nationals were as involved as local players, adding : “The dual nationals are as involved as the locals, because even if they were born in France, Algeria is the country of their parents, they are attached to it, which was the case for me at the time. When I was on the selection staff, I saw a lot of dual nationals, and they all had a very professional and respectful behavior. Above all, Benlamri forgets one essential point: that of their sporting contribution.” According to Kourichi, the question of players' skill and professionalism should take precedence over where they were born.
Nasser Sendjak, for his part, stressed that Algeria could not do without players from French academies, one of the most advanced training systems. He recalled that Algeria would probably not have won CAN 2019 without the contribution of dual nationals, and was surprised to see Benlamri
“deny this evidence”. Pour Sendjak,
Benlamri's words lack perspectiveparticularly on the state of training in Algeria, which has been neglected by local clubs. “I know Djamel Benlamri, who is a charming boy, but he is completely wrong: without the dual nationals, whose performances are judged without complacency, Algeria would have a more than average selection. She would probably not have won the 2019 CAN and would not often qualify for this competition or the World Cup. he declared.
Ultimately, these exchanges as well as the comments made by Benlamri highlight the gap between two visions: that of strict nationalism, and that of a team open to Algerian talents, wherever they grew up.
DZfoot
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