Aissa Mandi #2

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The consummate professional, with more international caps than any other Algerian, having passed the 100 mark back in 2024. Perhaps his former coach with the national team, Djamel Belmadi, described him best when he said: “Aissa has natural leadership skills and a significant impact on the players, both in matches and in training. He’s a good person and a positive presence within the group. Even his lack of speed, he compensates for with intelligence and sound judgment when it comes to taking initiative.” Mandi is one of two veterans in this squad, alongside Riyad Mahrez, who was also in the 2014 World Cup squad that pushed Germany to its limit in the Last 16. He has a big role to play this summer, on the pitch or off it, in being a calming, authoritative presence for the younger defenders. When Algeria qualified for this summer he wrote online: “Since 29 March 2022 only one thing has been on our minds: bringing Algeria back where it belongs: to the World Cup. Pride and determination for what comes next."

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