Nabil Bentaleb recalled to Algeria squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign

The 31-year-old missed the Africa Cup of Nations tournament earlier this year due to injury but will return for the global event alongside key attackers Houssem Aouar and Amine Gouiri.

Bentaleb played at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Algeria got past the first round, but has had several periods of lengthy absence from the side.

Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic said: "We know Bentaleb well; he has all the qualities as a person for the group too. He has shown he's in form these last few months."

Petkovic has also kept faith with goalkeeper Luca Zidane, son of French World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, despite the shot-stopper suffering a broken jaw with his Spanish club Granada.

Algeria will have a warm-up friendly in Rotterdam against the Netherland on Wednesday before heading off to the FIFA World Cup where they are grouped with defending champions Argentina, Austria, and Jordan.

Algeria World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Melvin Masstil (Stade Nyonnaise), Luca Zidane (Granada);

Defenders: Achraf Abada (USM Alger), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), Zinedine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Rafik Belghali (Verona), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Samir Chergui (Paris FC), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys Bern), Aissa Mandi (Lille), Mohamed Amine Tougai (ES Tunis)

Midfielders: Houssem Aouar (Al-Ittihad), Nabil Bentaleb (Lille), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Yassine Titraoui (Charleroi), Ramiz Zerrouki (FC Twente)

Forwards: Mohamed Amine Amoura (Wolfsburg), Nadir Benbouali (Gyori ETO), Adil Boulbina (Al-Duhail), Fares Ghedjemis (Frosinone), Amine Gouiri (Marseille), Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord).

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