The successor to Djamel Belmadi is finally known! After several delays in recent days, the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) officially announced this Thursday the appointment of Vladimir Petkovic as the coach of the Fennecs.
“The FAF announces the finalization of the agreement designating the new national team coach. The Bosnian coach, Mr. Vladimir PETKOVIC, is the new national team coach,” the organization confirmed.
Petkovic will arrive on Sunday
Despite a slight opening earlier in the week from José Peseiro, the FAF’s top choice who could extend his stay in Nigeria, Petkovic’s appointment had been certain for several days, with only the date of his arrival in Algiers left to be determined. While incessant rumors circulated on this matter on Wednesday, the FAF also ended the suspense by announcing that “the new national team coach will arrive in Algiers this Sunday and will hold a press conference on Monday.”
Contract until 2026?
Naturalized Swiss after a playing career mainly spent in the Swiss league, the 60-year-old coach led the Swiss national team from 2014 to 2021, achieving the feat of eliminating the French team, then reigning world champions, on penalties in the round of 16 of Euro 2020. However, he had a brief experience of a few months at Bordeaux, which ended in a resounding failure. Petkovic’s contract is expected to run for two and a half years, with the aim of qualifying the Fennecs for the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 World Cup. He will start next month in the FIFA Series friendly tournament at home against Bolivia (March 22) and South Africa (March 26).
