National coach Vladimir Betkovic held a press conference on Thursday afternoon in preparation for the World Cup qualifying matches of the “Greens” against Somalia and Uganda.

Below are the key points addressed by the head coach of the “Desert Warriors” during this media session.

    • The matches against Somalia and Uganda are not mere formalities, and our qualification for the World Cup is not yet guaranteed, so seriousness and focus are required. I also respect the opponents and do not underestimate Somalia and Uganda.
    • I am not thinking about the international stage in November or the friendly matches preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations finals scheduled a month later. My focus is exclusively on the matches against Somalia and Uganda.
    • Qualification for the 2026 World Cup is a goal we set earlier, and we aim to achieve it in the final stage of the qualifiers.
    • Some talk about the negatives of last September’s stage, but they overlook the important fact that we earned 4 points and got closer than others to the World Cup finals.
    • I have mocked a lot those who accused me of being weak-willed.
    • I emphasize that there is no main player, and I do not exclude anyone.
    • In the last two World Cup qualifying matches, players’ behavior and performance on the field are more important than tactical plans.
    • I have been following goalkeeper Luca Zidane for some time and found that he deserves to wear the “Greens” jersey. As for who is the main goalkeeper, the situation is not suitable for this debate.
    • Bouanani is a young talented player who has improved a lot in Germany. Boulbina as well, but he needs to make more sacrifices and score more goals to secure a starting spot in the senior national team.
    • Bakkar has respectable technical abilities but has not played much as a starter this season. As for Belaïli, he enjoys huge popularity, and his position is fiercely competitive due to the abundance of players in that role.
    • Ben Seghir cannot be blamed for his yellow card and absence against Guinea Conakry; he is an experienced and very useful player for the national team.
    • The four new arrivals were brought after continuous observation and are candidates to fill the gaps left by absentees and provide the required artistic touch.
    • Regarding absences, I reassure their families that the door remains open for upcoming commitments.