Published on 6/16/2026
Today we chose one of the most prominent joy makers in the history of Algerian football, the left winger who brought a smile to the faces of millions in the World Cups in Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986. We chose him because he represents the golden generation that fought against the greats of the world and broke the football inferiority complex, and because the fans’ memory still retains his magical touches against the giants of Europe. In this space, Algerian football legend Saleh Assad comes to us on Al Jazeera.net to open his heart, recalling the memories of the beginnings, and revealing the pain that has not left him since the Gijon saga, to put the experience of the years in the hands of the current Greens battalion to avoid the mistakes of the past and go far in the global forum.
From the alleys of glamor to chasing an adult dream
The idea of embracing football glory began to haunt Assad in the 1970s, influenced by the brilliance of the Brazilian national team in Mexico and passionately following the creativity of Pele and his teammates. Like any young child, he had great ambitions that led him to think about professionalism and competing against major international teams. Assad believes that the real secret of success lies in hard work, as he spent more time on the field than at home, to the point that his family knew his permanent destination. His career began with the Al-Sharaqa team in the capital, where he caught attention and was called up to the national team. Despite the positive participation in the Mediterranean Games, the African Games, and the Olympic Games, the dream of participating in the World Cup remains the ultimate goal and the summit he seeks to reach to confront the legends of the game.
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The German saga and the story of the “Gijon scandal”
Assad considers that the historic victory over teams the size of Germany and Chile, and proving superiority over them, is an achievement that honors all football fans and Algerians. This brilliance transferred the team’s reputation from the African arena to the international arena, as foreign newspapers began singing the names of the “Greens” players in Brazil, Costa Rica and Germany. Despite this glory, disappointment still grips Assad due to what was known as the “Gijon Scandal,” as achieving two victories over the strongest teams without qualifying for the second round left a constant soreness. As much as we are proud of those victories, the burning of painful exclusion remains with that golden generation to this day.
Warrior mentality and breaking the “inferiority complex”
Assad talks about the victorious mentality of his generation, stressing that entering the field was always accompanied by the intention of winning without fear, while maintaining the necessary respect for opponents. Fear was limited to the first five minutes only, and then self-confidence began. He adds that the young generation at the time, which included stars such as Madjer, Belloumi, Ben Saoula and Zidane, was fully aware that it had sufficient qualifications to compete with the greats of Europe. The “inferiority complex” was completely absent from their dictionary, which was translated in practice not only by the victory over Germany in the World Cup, but also by achieving other notable victories, such as the victory over the Italian national team in its home.
An artistic reading for the generation of 2026 and the keys to brilliance
Looking at the current team, Assad believes that qualifying for the World Cup five times reflects the value of football development, praising Algeria’s possession of high-quality players, especially in the midfield, which includes names such as Maza, Boudaoui, Zerrougui and Bentaleb, in addition to those with experience such as Mahrez. Issad expresses his particular admiration for the performance of Haj Moussa, Maza and Amora, offering them precise tactical advice. He believes that Mazza possesses tactical intelligence in positioning and evading control, while Ammoura needs to exploit his superior speed and regain his confidence to make the desired addition in the World Cup. He also praises Hajj Moussa’s ability to penetrate and confront defenders boldly, asking him to work harder to become a big star in the future.
Argentina’s challenge and ambition towards the quarter-finals
Assad sets a high ceiling for the ambitions of the current generation, stressing that all international teams, including world champion Argentina, hope to face the Algerian national team. Despite the presence of a star like Lionel Messi with his extensive experience, Assad stresses that Algerian players practicing in the strongest European leagues are accustomed to these pressures and are capable of turning the tables on any opponent. He sends a strong and direct message to the “Greens” battalion, calling on them to have absolute confidence in their capabilities, to make reaching the quarter-finals a primary goal in their dictionary, and not to miss the opportunity to create new glory beyond achieving the second round in the 2014 edition.
