At the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, Algeria advanced from a group with Belgium, Korea Republic and Russia before giving eventual world champions Germany a run for their money in the round of 16, who eventually ran out 2-1 winners after extra time.
Faouzi Ghoulam was part of that spirited Fennecs side, who showed pride and real promise for both the present and the future, starting both games against Belgium and Germany.
The knee injury he picked up in 2017 had a lasting effect on the rest of his career, but as he explained, that setback and the years that followed taught him a lot, especially in terms of personal growth.
Ghoulam spoke to FIFA about assessing Algeria’s chances at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™, which has pitted them in an exciting group with Argentina, Austria and Jordan.
Faouzi Ghoulam: Algeria was a choice of the heart. I was born in France, but I’ve always felt deeply connected to my Algerian roots. My parents were born there, my whole family lives there, so it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. Donning the national team shirt has been one of the biggest honours of my career. The best part has been making my parents proud of me.
Playing for your country means absolutely everything. Football is hugely important in Algeria, along with its values, and it’s a way for our country to express itself in the best possible way. It makes us incredibly proud, and when you bring tournaments like the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup to your people, it’s a wonderful feeling, because sparking joy is the most important thing, especially when you’re playing for your country.
For a footballer, getting the chance to play at the World Cup is the best experience there is, because it only comes around every four years. The 2014 tournament was extra special for a couple of reasons: firstly because it was held in Brazil, and also because of the journey we went on, falling just short in extra time at the hands of Germany, who eventually went on to get their hands on the trophy. It was an incredible World Cup for us.
During the tournament, you don’t fully appreciate what’s happening. It’s only after that it hits you. My team-mates, who had already featured at the 2010 World Cup, used to tell me: just wait and see, playing at the World Cup is a feeling like no other. Back then I was playing in the Champions League with Napoli, in a beautiful stadium and in one of the best leagues in the world, but playing at the World Cup really hit different.
In football, nothing even comes close to that feeling, because playing on the biggest stage in world football is every child’s dream. There are many players who have lots of silverware to their names but have never played at a World Cup and don’t know what it means, so for me it’s a real honour and privilege to have been part of such a special competition.
Algeria are going through a transitional phase. The more experienced players are nearing retirement, and there is an exciting crop of talented youngsters coming through the ranks. It’s impossible to predict how the World Cup will pan out, but I hope Algeria can make it out of the group stage, because we’ve got a talented squad and the structure is in place to give a good account of ourselves. It’ll be another chance for the Algerian national side and our players to show what they’re capable of.
I don’t think our tie against Argentina will be the most difficult in the group, because it’ll be easy to get up for that one. It’s also the first match, so we’ll be chomping at the bit to start as we mean to go on. We need to make sure we take our chances especially against the teams we can realistically compete with. [Lionel] Messi is nearing the end of his career and Argentina still build their side around him, so I personally think France, Spain and Portugal are more likely favourites to emerge victorious.
Algeria’s squad is packed with talented players worth keeping an eye on. We’ve always been blessed with great players: [Riyad] Mahrez is without doubt our biggest star, and there’s [Rayan] Ait-Nouri who plies his trade at Manchester City and is a very talented player. [Ramy] Bensebaini at Borussia Dortmund, [Anis Hadj] Moussa at Feyenoord. They all gave a good account of themselves at the Africa Cup of Nations, and there’s also Ibrahim Maza at Bayer Leverkusen, who is only 20 years old and is already a hot prospect.
I believe that the human aspect should always come first, and as a human being, Ancelotti is the cream of the crop. He’s incredible, he’s always got a smile on his face, he talks to the players, explains everything, and is always there for you when the going gets tough. He’s one of the best in the business. He’s lived through many different footballing eras and has always managed to come out on top, winning consistently over the years, which is no mean feat. He studies a lot, sometimes alongside his son, has excellent backroom staff, and it’s no coincidence that he’s been so successful.
Being out injured made me a better person and taught me a lot on a personal level. My parents taught me a lot, but that spell on the sidelines made me see things from a different perspective as a footballer. I got closer to the fans and to people in need, those who have had it tough in life. For me, it was an important experience that helped turn me into the man I am today. On a sporting level, it was obviously a bad thing, but in the end it helped me grow and improve.
