Algeria Star Mahrez Reveals Recipe for Cup of Nations Success 

Algeria star Riyad Mahrez (L) attacks during a 2022 World Cup play-off against Cameroon in Blida. (AFP)
Algeria star Riyad Mahrez (L) attacks during a 2022 World Cup play-off against Cameroon in Blida. (AFP)
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Algeria Star Mahrez Reveals Recipe for Cup of Nations Success 

Algeria star Riyad Mahrez (L) attacks during a 2022 World Cup play-off against Cameroon in Blida. (AFP)
Algeria star Riyad Mahrez (L) attacks during a 2022 World Cup play-off against Cameroon in Blida. (AFP)

Algeria captain and former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez believes he knows the recipe for winning the Africa Cup of Nations -- thorough preparations, good luck and experience.

"Whichever country is the best prepared and enjoys a little bit of luck will go all the way," the 32-year-old winger told reporters.

"Experience is also a major factor. I and many teammates in the Algerian squad know all about the Cup of Nations.

"Making a good start is often crucial. We beat Kenya in our opening match in 2019 and won the tournament. We drew with Sierra Leone three years later and flopped."

France-born Mahrez, who left the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League this year, was a key figure when Algeria won the 2019 Cup of Nations in Egypt.

He was also part of the squad that fared dismally when defending the title in Cameroon two years ago as defeats by Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast led to elimination after the first round.

Algeria, with a mix of 2019 survivors and new blood, are favorites to win Group D at the 2024 finals, which kick off in the Ivory Coast commercial capital Abidjan on Saturday.

They are the top seeds in a section including Burkina Faso, a team with second, third and fourth place finishes in their past four appearances, and outsiders Angola and Mauritania.

The top two in the final standings automatically advance to the round of 16 and it would be a shock if Algeria and Burkina Faso did not fill those positions.

'Deep sense of belonging'

That would leave two-time quarter-finalists Angola and Mauritania, seeking a first win at the tournament, fighting to be one of the best four third-place finishers and also qualifying.

Born in a northern Paris suburb, Mahrez qualifies for Algeria because his late father was born in the oil-rich north African country.

"I visited the village where my father was born every year and felt a deep sense of belonging. I was really close to the people, and to my adopted homeland."

Mahrez recalls with visible joy the reception the Desert Foxes received when they conquered Africa five years ago by defeating Senegal 1-0 in a final won by a Baghdad Bounedjah goal.

"The bus parade was supposed to take 30 minutes, but actually lasted seven hours. The passion of the people was incredible. I have not witnessed it in any other country."

Goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi, defenders Ramy Bensebaini and Aissa Mandi, midfielders Ismael Bennacer and Sofiane Feghouli and forwards Youcef Belaili and Bounedjah are other 2019 winners called up.

Also chosen was Nice defender Youcef Atal, who received an eight-month suspended sentence from a French court last week for inciting religious hatred in a social media post concerning Gaza.

Burkina Faso have constantly punched above their weight in recent Cup of Nations and boast a star defender in Edmond Tapsoba from Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

A setback for the Stallions, though, is the lack of game time for their best known forward, Bertrand Traore, at Aston Villa this season.

After shock qualification for the 2006 World Cup and two last-eight Cup of Nations appearances soon after, Angola have regressed, missing three of the last four African tournaments.

Mauritania were the worst performers of all 24 teams at the last edition, losing all three group matches and failing to score.



Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
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Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)

Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne face Slovakia to start their European Championship program on Monday in Group E. Also in the group are Romania and Ukraine. Kickoff in Frankfurt is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT). Here’s what to know about the match.

Match facts:

— There is a strong Italian influence on the game. Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona is Italian, and was the interim coach since February at Napoli where he had been an assistant to Mauricio Sarri. Belgium’s 38-year-old coach Domenico Tedesco was born in Italy though is a citizen of Germany having grown up there.

— Slovakia is at its third straight Euro as an independent nation, all since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams. Slovakia reached the round of 16 in 2016 losing 3-0 to Germany. As half of the former Czechoslovakia it won the 1976 title.

— Belgium was the beaten finalist in 1980, losing to West Germany.

— The teams never met in a competitive game and last played a friendly against each other 11 years ago. A Belgium team featuring a 21-year-old De Bruyne beat Slovakia 2-1 in Brugge.

Team news:

— Belgium left arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at home. That’s despite Thibaut Courtois proving his fitness helping Real Madrid win the Champions League final. Courtois has been in dispute with Tedesco reportedly after not getting the captaincy for a game last year.

— Belgium has injuries in defense with doubts over Axel Witsel. Veteran Jan Vertonghen and Arthur Theate are both expected to be unavailable. Zeno Debast, just 20, and Maxim De Cuyper could get their chance.

— Slovakia’s lineup could include Peter Pekarík and Juraj Kucka. At age 37 they are Slovakia’s oldest ever players. They also are the last remaining members of the 2010 World Cup squad that beat and eliminated defending champion Italy in the group stage.

By the numbers:

— Belgium is still ranked No. 3 by FIFA despite not advancing out of its group at the 2022 World Cup. Belgium has a seven-year run in the top five, including atop the ranking from 2018 through 2021. Slovakia is No. 48.

— Romelu Lukaku’s record 85 goals for Belgium, aged just 31, is more than the top three Slovakia scorers combined since it became an independent soccer nation in 1994. Marek Hamsik, who retired last year and is now an assistant coach, leads with 26.

— Belgium captain De Bruyne made his 100th appearance for the Red Devils last week, scoring in a 2-0 warmup win against Montenegro.

— Slovakia gave up the fastest goal in the history of men's international soccer in March. It took just six seconds for Austria's Christoph Baumgartner to dribble the ball direct from the center spot and shoot past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

What they’re saying:

— “Belgium has a lot of fantastic individuals. Take De Bruyne, (Jérémy) Doku, Lukaku, (Leandro) Trossard, all of them are huge players. Belgium has two or three top players playing in top clubs in each position.” — Slovakia midfielder Stanislav Lobotka

— “Since the 2022 World Cup, he has had to build a completely new team with a lot of younger players, so everything had to be adjusted to his philosophy of playing.” — Kevin De Bruyne on coach Domenico Tedesco