Algerian regime made North Africans stop supporting Algerian football team

Amid a worsening economic and social crisis coupled with crackdown on dissent, the Algerian military regime has sought to shift focus by using the national football team to deviate attention from the real problems in the country. The puppet President Teboune and Algeria’s King maker and army chief Chengriha have put too much pressure on the national squad turning players into soldiers.

The use by the military junta of the national football team and the arrogant tone of Algerian officials have made a large chunk of the Moroccan, but also Tunisian and Egyptian people, stop supporting the Algerian football team.

Led by coach Belmadi, title holder Algeria left the African Cup of Nations with a humiliating defeat by Côte d’Ivoire.

Unlike in previous years, cheering in Moroccan cafes was in support of Côte D’Ivoire.

This change of Moroccan sentiment is also partly because of the hostile acts taken by the Algerian regime against Morocco.

Algeria unilaterally cut ties and banned Moroccan flights from crossing its airspace, besides putting an end to a gas supply deal.

Algerian media and sports commentators have also succeeded in making the Algerian football team no longer popular by turning sports games into wars with an arrogant tone that belittles all other rival teams.

Algerian media have also bluntly broadcasted vox pops showing contempt by some Algerians to African teams whose football wins were pinned to black magic in a blunt disrespect for other African football teams.

With the early departure of the Algerian team of the African tournament, the Algerian military regime has lost a tool that it has long used to distract the Algerian people from its real problems: inflation, poverty, and unemployment.