Algeria part ways with coach after AFCON exit

Djamel Belmadi has left his post as Algeria head coach following the group stage exit of the Desert Foxes at the ongoing AFCON tournament.

According to a statement on the Algerian team’s X account on Wednesday, the country football federation parted ways with the 47-year-old coach after “an amicable agreement”.

“A tweet by Mr. Walid Sadi, President of the Algerian Football Federation, in which he confirmed that an amicable agreement had been reached to terminate the contract between the Algerian Football Federation and the national coach, Djamel Belmadi,” the post reads.

Algeria finished bottom of Group D with only two points and no victory in their three games at the ongoing AFCON. 

The disappointing finale of the Desert Foxes’ performance in Ivory Coast was a 1-0 to Mauritania in their final group game.

Belmadi, France-born Algerian native, has seen his team on a downward spiral since winning the AFCON trophy in 2019. 

He failed to lead Algeria to the Qatar 2022 World Cup and his team failed at the group stage in consecutive AFCON tournaments.

Belmadi joins the growing list of coaches who have left their jobs following the performances of their teams at AFCON.

On Tuesday, Ghana parted ways with Chris Hughton after the Black Stars crashed out of the competition group stage. Tom Saintfiet also left his role as the head coach of The Gambia.

Adel Amrouche, the coach of the Tanzania national team, was also handed an eight-match suspension by CAF for making “insulting remarks” about Morocco after their first game at the competition.