World Cup 2026: "Tomorrow, my country will be Algeria," Petkovic stirs Algerian hearts

02.07.26 FT World Cup

Switzerland

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Algeria

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On the eve of the round of 16 clash against Switzerland, Vladimir Petkovic dismissed questions about his Swiss background, making it clear he has only one ambition: leading the Greens to qualification.

Just hours before a historic encounter, Vladimir Petkovic faced the media to discuss this unique showdown against his former team. Indeed, the Swiss-Bosnian tactician once managed Switzerland, a fact that naturally dominated the conversation, though it didn’t shake his resolve.

Read also: World Cup 2026: Algeria ahead of Argentina and Germany in this ranking

"Tomorrow, my country will be Algeria"

Of course, Petkovic was questioned about his ties to the Nati, but he quickly set the record straight.

“I am Swiss, but tomorrow my country will be Algeria and I want to win. I don’t mix things up,” he declared.

“I’ve had wonderful experiences and I’m proud to be Swiss, but tomorrow I’ll be Algeria’s coach. My family won’t oppose this—on the contrary, they’ll support me.”

The coach also refused to personalize the showdown:

“This isn’t Petkovic versus Switzerland, nor a duel between Petkovic and Murat Yakin. It’s Algeria versus Switzerland, two teams that play quality football and want to keep their dream alive.”

He even had words of praise for his Swiss counterpart, calling him “a very good coach” with “excellent results.”

No tactical edge from his Swiss past

Does his deep knowledge of Swiss football give the Fennecs an edge? Petkovic doesn’t really think so.

“Football has become universal. Everyone knows everyone these days. I know the Swiss players and they know me as well, but that’s not a real advantage.”

He also insisted that his game plan would be built around Algeria’s strengths, not the opponent’s:

“We want to focus on our strengths and weaknesses, not the opponent’s.”

When it comes to which goalkeeper will start, the coach kept the suspense alive:

“We have three goalkeepers. They’re all in great shape, and we’ll see who starts tomorrow.”

Defensive solidity and efficiency: the two main focus areas

Having qualified as one of the best third-placed teams after a fiercely contested group stage, Algeria knows it must raise its game to keep the dream alive. Vladimir Petkovic has pinpointed several areas for improvement, starting with defensive balance.

“We’ve conceded too many goals since the start of the tournament. That’s something we need to fix. At the same time, we’ve also scored a lot. The key is to keep improving,” stressed the Greens’ boss.

The Swiss tactician also highlighted his team’s lack of efficiency in both boxes:

“We need to be more clinical. At this stage of the competition, every chance counts and every detail can make the difference.”

Beware the Swiss collective, not just Xhaka

Asked about the opposition’s strengths, the coach refused to single out any one player, even though Granit Xhaka’s name came up repeatedly.

“Switzerland is a dangerous team. Xhaka is a great player, he’s always shown that. It will be a pleasure to see him tomorrow. But I don’t want to focus on just one player: it’s not only Xhaka, there are other good players too.”

A passionate appeal to the 12th man

After a physically demanding match against Austria, Petkovic dismissed any excuses related to fatigue or travel conditions:

“I don’t want to talk about the weather or distance, as that could be seen as making excuses. My players have no issues in that regard.”

He also made a point of designating Switzerland as favourites, while recalling the many surprises that have already happened in this tournament:

“Tomorrow, Switzerland is the favourite. Some favourites have struggled in this competition. We need to give everything on the pitch.”

Finally, deeply moved by the scenes of jubilation after qualification, the coach is counting on massive support from the stands:

“I saw some wonderful videos of our fans. The whole country was overjoyed after our qualification. I hope the stadium will be packed with Algerian supporters again tomorrow. We’ll do everything possible to win.”²

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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