The Algerian national team has been handed both encouragement and concern ahead of the start of its preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with coach Vladimir Petkovic facing growing uncertainty over his goalkeeping options.
Algeria are expected to begin their training camp on 25 May at the Sidi Moussa training centre, south of the capital Algiers, as preparations intensify for the upcoming World Cup tournament.
The Desert Warriors are also scheduled to play two friendly matches before the competition begins. Their first fixture is set for 3 June against the Netherlands national football team, while the Algerian Football Federation has yet to announce the identity of the second opponent. Reports indicate Algeria could face either Venezuela or Bolivia before the tournament begins.
While Petkovic received positive news regarding the recovery of goalkeeper Melvin Mastel, the player’s return to action also highlighted fresh concerns over the national side’s defensive stability.
The 26-year-old returned to competitive football with Swiss side Nyon on Friday, 8 May, after recovering from hernia surgery. Mastel started against Aarau in the Swiss second division, marking his first appearance since his injury lay-off.
However, the comeback proved difficult for the Algerian international. Nyon suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat, with Mastel conceding five goals during the match. The result continued a worrying trend, with the goalkeeper having conceded 13 goals across his last three matches for the club.
Despite the disappointing performance, Mastel’s return to fitness offers Petkovic another option in a position that has become increasingly problematic for Algeria in recent weeks.
The coach now faces a difficult decision over whether to include the goalkeeper in his World Cup squad. Mastel’s season has been marked by contrasting statistics. Although he won the award for best goalkeeper in the Swiss second division this season, he has also struggled defensively.
According to Transfermarkt data, Mastel has played 33 matches in all competitions this season, conceding 48 goals while keeping only six clean sheets.
Petkovic is expected to delay his final decision regarding the goalkeeper until the last possible moment, with the deadline for submitting the final squad list set for 2 June.
Algeria’s difficulties in the goalkeeping department extend beyond Mastel’s uncertain form.
First-choice goalkeeper Anthony Mandrea, who plays for French side Stade Malherbe Caen, has suffered a shoulder injury that has officially ruled him out of contention.
Meanwhile, Luca Zidane sustained a concussion while playing for Spanish club Granada, along with a broken jaw and chin. Those injuries have cast serious doubt over his availability for the national team during the World Cup.
The combination of injuries and inconsistent form has left Petkovic confronting what many see as a full-scale goalkeeping crisis ahead of one of Algeria’s most important international campaigns in recent years.
The situation could force the Swiss coach to consider alternative names for the tournament squad. Among the leading candidates is Osama Benbot, the goalkeeper of USM Alger, who has reportedly expressed his willingness to reconsider his retirement from international football.
With Algeria’s training camp approaching rapidly and uncertainty surrounding several senior goalkeepers, Petkovic now faces one of the biggest selection challenges of his tenure as Desert Warriors coach.
