Former Algeria striker Chérif Oudjani has delivered a candid assessment of the Fennecs’ opening World Cup defeat to Argentina, insisting that the team’s biggest weakness was their mentality rather than their technical ability.
Oudjani, who famously scored the winning goal in Algeria’s triumph at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations and now works as a sports deputy mayor in Lens and scout for Newcastle United, admitted he was disappointed by the performance against the reigning world champions.
According to the former international, Algeria showed too much respect for Argentina and Lionel Messi, allowing the occasion and the stature of their opponents to affect their approach.
He also referred to a controversial incident involving Messi, suggesting that another player might have been sent off for a similar action, which could have altered the course of the match. However, Oudjani chose not to focus on individual moments and instead placed responsibility on the team as a whole.
“I do not want to point fingers at anyone because we all wear the same jersey,” he explained, describing the overall display as a collective failure.
A Must-Respond Situation Against Jordan
Despite the disappointment, Oudjani believes Algeria still has the quality and opportunity to revive their World Cup campaign when they face Jordan in their next group-stage fixture.
He emphasized the importance of the psychological response, arguing that elite teams are defined by how they react after setbacks. He pointed to players like Kylian Mbappé, who regularly answers criticism through performances on the pitch, and highlighted Argentina’s own 2022 World Cup journey, where they recovered from an opening defeat to eventually lift the trophy.
For Oudjani, Algeria now faces a similar challenge: a poor start can be forgiven, but another disappointing performance would be unacceptable.
From a technical perspective, he remains convinced that the Fennecs possess enough talent to compete at the highest level, citing the presence of players from major European clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Olympique Marseille, alongside captain Riyad Mahrez.
However, he warned that reputation and individual quality alone will not be enough. Algeria must now transform its potential into a convincing display against Jordan as they attempt to keep their World Cup ambitions alive.
