Football

Brahim Hemdani unveils his first squad for the Algeria team

Algeria's new head coach, Brahim Hemdani, has presented his first player list for the CAN 2027 qualifiers, excluding Luca Zidane and Houssem Aouar.

18 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Brahim Hemdani unveils his first squad for the Algeria team — Archive photoPhoto: Hadi Abyar · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Brahim Hemdani, recently appointed coach of the Algeria team, has revealed his first squad selection for the two matches of the CAN 2027 qualifiers, which will take place on September 25 against Zambia and on September 29 against Burundi.

Among the notable absentees, goalkeeper Luca Zidane is not included in this squad, according to RMC Sport, although he has been reported as suspended in some sources.

The list also features other surprising choices, such as the absence of Houssem Aouar, as noted by L'Équipe. This selection has been awaited with great interest, marking a new direction for the Algerian team.

The group unveiled by Hemdani consists of 26 players, but does not include goalkeepers Oussama Benbot and other regulars. TSA discusses the various newcomers present in this selection.

At the press conference following the announcement of this list, Hemdani shared some thoughts on his experience as a player and his transition to the coaching role, without going into details about the absentees.

This first selection is crucial for establishing the team's dynamics and preparing the players for the upcoming matches in a competitive context.

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