3 reasons behind Baghdad Bounedjah's potential exclusion from the Algeria national team

Veteran star Baghdad Bounedjah now faces the threat of missing out on the Algeria national team for the upcoming international break.

The Desert Warriors are set for two high-stakes clashes in March, as part of their preparations for the World Cup finals.

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The World Cup draw placed the North African side in Group J alongside Argentina, Austria, and Jordan.

In the following report, Foot Africa highlights three reasons that could see Baghdad Bounedjah dropped from the Algeria squad.

The Boulbina incident

The Al Shamal striker sparked controversy during the match against Sudan in the opening round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage.

Bounedjah refused to celebrate the victory with his teammates at the final whistle, protesting that Adel Boulbina had declined to pass him the ball despite his prime position to score.

His reaction triggered a wave of anger among fans, who criticized him fiercely on social media.

Rebellion against Petkovic

The former Al Sadd forward reportedly rebelled against his coach, Vladimir Petkovic, during the most recent Africa Cup of Nations.

Bounedjah made no secret of his displeasure at the Swiss manager's decision to leave him out of the starting lineup for the quarter-final clash against Nigeria.

This irresponsible behavior has frustrated the Fennecs' head coach, who is now seriously considering dropping him for the upcoming international fixtures.

Dip in form

Baghdad Bounedjah failed to deliver standout performances during his latest run in the continental tournament.

The seasoned striker did not find the net in the competition, providing only a single assist.

He currently boasts 86 international appearances across all competitions, scoring 35 goals and contributing 15 assists.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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