Algeria

Fresh from a 1-0 friendly victory over the Netherlands in Rotterdam, Algeria are building momentum ahead of the World Cup. However, the squad still feels the impact of midfielder Hicham Boudaoui's head injury, which kept him out of the recent training camp and the Rotterdam match, and his return is uncertain. With the coach having announced the World Cup squad and the team eager to field a full-strength eleven, Algeria will aim to sharpen cohesion before their opening group fixtures.

Algeria face off against Argentina in the opening Group J clash of the FIFA World Cup on Wednesday. Algeria have won three, drawn one, and lost one of their last five matches, including a 1-0 win over the Netherlands yesterday. Vladimir Petković, the new head coach of the side since February 2024, has made a fast impact on the side by instilling a flexible and adaptable tactical system that can alter depending on the opposition and game situation. The desert foxes will line up in a 4-2-3-1 on Wednesday. Their game is simple, wide pace, and direct transitions that can quickly change the game when played effectively, and Riyad Mahrez is the creative heartbeat, a player who can unlock opposition defences with his dribbling and vision from the right flank. Houssem Aouar is more of a technically gifted player that can play quick combinations in midfield and link up the play, while Mohamed Amoura provides a similar option with added pace and directness to pull defenders out of position.