Algeria: The team and the stars

Under coach Vahid Halilhodzic, Algeria has more flair and scores more goals. The well-organized and technically assured side starts at the back, where rugged center half Madjid Bougherra runs the defense. At full back, Faouzi Ghoulam has also impressed. The main attacking threat comes from Sofiane Feghouli, who is arguably the team’s best player. Halilhodzic will be counting on him to unlock defenses in Brazil. [caption id=“attachment_1564377” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of the Algeria team. Reuters[/caption] Here are four players to watch: SOFIANE FEGHOULI Sofiane Feghouli is Algeria’s most skillful player and has proven himself in Spain over the past few seasons with some impressive performances at Valencia. The 24-year-old winger played for France’s under-21 side and was even close to a call up for the senior team before pledging his allegiance to Algeria. Coach Vahid Halilhodzic gave him his international debut three years ago. The Parisian-born Feghouli, who has scored five goals in 17 international appearances, has everything to trouble defenders: pace, skill, passing and an eye for goal. But he has also been plagued by inconsistency. FAOUZI GHOULAM Like Sofiane Feghouli, French-born Faouzi Ghoulam chose Algeria after playing for France’s under-21 team. A quick, skillful left back who likes to push forward, Feghouli made his Algeria debut last March during World Cup qualifying and set up a goal in a 3-1 win over Benin. At club level, he came through the youth ranks at Saint-Etienne and soon became a first team regular. His impressive performances earned him a high-profile move to Serie A, where he plays for Napoli. His older brother, Nabil Ghoulam, represented France in cross-country running at the world championships in 2004. MADJID BOUGHERRA Algeria captain Madjid Bougherra has been a mainstay in central defense over the past 10 years. One of his best performance’s for the Greens was against England at the last World Cup, where he kept striker Wayne Rooney at bay as underdog Algeria secured a 0-0 draw. The 31-year-old Bougherra has played more than 60 times for his country, but the rugged defender’s club career has been more successful. He won three straight league titles with Scottish club Rangers and was a fan favorite before being sold to Lekhwiya, where he scored on his debut and won the Qatar Stars League in his first season. EL ARBI HILLEL SOUDANI El Arbi Hillel Soudani has impressed this season with some solid performances for Dinamo Zagreb and goals for Algeria. The 26-year-old Soudani can play all across the attack and is more of a clinical finisher than Rafik Djebbour. He has scored 10 goals in 20 appearances for the Greens, including the winner in a 1-0 victory over Mali in World Cup qualifying last September. After two seasons with Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes, where he scored fairly regularly despite often being on the bench, Soudani made his mark in the Croatian league by grabbing 12 goals in his first 17 starts. Goalkeepers: Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger). Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford, on loan from Granada), Madjid Bougherra (Lekhwya Club), Liassine Cadamuro (Mallorca), Faouzi Ghoualm (Napoli), Rafik Halliche (Academica Coimbra), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (AC Ajaccio). Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham), Yasine Brahimi (Granada), Medhi Lacen (Getafe), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Hassan Yebda (Udinese). Forwards: Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Hilal Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb).