The Algerian national team aims to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since the 2014 Brazil edition, as the “Desert Warriors” resume their African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup with matches against Botswana and Guinea. Winning both matches could secure Algeria a spot in the finals for the fifth time.

Leading Algeria’s frontline are several distinguished forwards, including Mohamed Amoura, Algeria’s top scorer in the qualifiers, who scored all five of his goals in March 2025, netting two in Algeria’s 3-1 victory over Botswana and a hat-trick in the 5-1 win against Mozambique.

The Wolfsburg striker ranks second in the African World Cup qualifiers’ top scorers list, just one goal behind Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah. Amoura has gradually become a rising star and a key player for the national team, having scored 13 goals in 33 matches, placing him among the top 10 scorers in Algeria’s history.

The list also includes forward Amine Gouiri, who may become a mainstay in Algeria’s lineup for years to come. The talented striker delivered an impressive performance in the second half of the 2024-2025 season with Marseille, scoring 10 goals and providing 3 assists in 14 Ligue 1 matches after transferring from Rennes. He also scored in the previous match against Botswana and aims for more success in the upcoming qualifier rounds.

The former Lyon, Nice, and Rennes player has all the qualities to make a lasting impact with Algeria, having scored 6 goals in 15 international matches since his debut in 2023. He also has the opportunity to continue shining at the highest level this season in the UEFA Champions League with Marseille, despite competition for a starting spot from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Joining them is Houssem Aouar, who, despite failing to meet expectations during his stint with Roma in the 2023-2024 season, has regained his sparkle since moving to Saudi club Al-Ittihad and has excelled under Laurent Blanc’s leadership.

The attacking midfielder started strong with Al-Ittihad, winning the first two titles of his career by capturing the Saudi Professional League and the King’s Cup. Additionally, he scored 13 goals last season, breaking his previous record of 9 goals set with Lyon in the 2019-2020 season.

The 27-year-old’s brilliance has not gone unnoticed by coach Djamel Belmadi, who places great hopes on Aouar to consistently deliver outstanding performances for Algeria. The Lyon academy graduate played one friendly match with France’s senior team after representing his birth country at the U17 and U21 levels. In 2023, he switched his international allegiance and has scored 5 goals in 14 matches for Algeria.

Similarly, Saïd Benrahma is shining in Saudi Arabia after a spell with Lyon, specifically with the newly promoted Saudi Pro League club Neom. After joining the club on loan mid-last season, the winger scored 7 goals in 16 matches, helping the team ascend to the Pro League. This is his best single-season scoring record since the 2021-2022 season, when he scored 8 goals in 32 Premier League matches with West Ham.

Although he started as a regular and scored the winning away goal against Uganda at the start of the qualifiers, Benrahma has recently become a substitute for the national team. Nevertheless, the energetic player, who previously played for Brentford, Angers, and Nice, may regain his starting spot if he continues to excel under Christophe Galtier.

The Algerian team also boasts striker Baghdad Bounedjah, who, despite nearing his mid-thirties, continues to shine in Qatar, where he has delivered outstanding performances over the past decade.

After leaving Al Sadd, where he scored 222 goals in 252 matches to become a club legend, the Oran-born player has continued his brilliance with his new club Al-Shamal, scoring 19 goals in 23 matches. On Algeria’s road to next year’s World Cup, this veteran striker led the attack and opened the scoring in the first match win against Somalia.

Bounedjah is always ready to answer the national team’s call. After missing the qualifiers in March, he seeks a quick return to boost his international tally of 32 goals, making him the third-highest scorer in Algeria’s history alongside Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani.