Algeria's 2026 World Cup journey ended on July 3rd with a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the round of 32. Squawka reported that the Desert Foxes' campaign in the United States concluded earlier than hoped after a mixed group stage performance.
The standings show Algeria finished third globally with just four points, five points behind leaders Argentina. The team scored five and conceded seven across three games, while the team stats record recent form of one win, two draws, and two losses in their last five outings.
Algeria qualified for the round of 32 narrowly as one of the best third-placed teams from Group Six. The campaign began with a heavy loss to Argentina, followed by a narrow 1-0 victory over Jordan. The key point came from a thrilling 3-3 draw with Austria in the final matchday, securing a place among the top four third-placed teams.
Star man Riyad Mahrez led Algeria's attack with two tournament goals, becoming the team's top scorer in this edition. He remains just five goals behind all-time record holder Islam Slimani, who was not in the 2026 squad. Mahrez took penalties and free-kicks alongside Fares Chaibi, who also shared corner duties as the team averaged 3.25 corners per match.
Manager Vladimir Petkovic primarily used a 4-2-3-1 formation while occasionally experimenting with two strikers. Against Jordan, Petkovic introduced a target man and moved striker Amine Gouiri to the wing, with Mahrez operating on the right. Ramiz Zerrouki and Hicham Boudaoui formed the double pivot in front of defense.
Houssem Aouar emerged as a key creator, contributing to 40% of Algeria's World Cup goals. The 28-year-old provided two assists in the draw against Austria and started two of four matches. Aouar created just two chances against Switzerland.
Mahrez will be 39 by 2030, making the 2026 World Cup likely his last major tournament with Les Fennecs. This opens the door for a new generation led by Ibrahim Maza, who operates behind the striker and turned 20 last November. Maza scored twice and assisted once at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, starting four of five matches.
Defensively, Ramiz Zerrouki showed exceptional ability at AFCON with 5.49 tackles per 90 minutes, the tournament's best rate. In the Eredivisie this season, Zerrouki maintains 2.12 tackles per 90 with 1.58 fouls committed per match. Fans can track these players' development through our regularly updated squad page.
The theoretical path would have grown considerably tougher had Algeria overcome Switzerland. In the round of 16, the winner of Colombia versus Ghana awaited. Beyond that, a potential quarter-final against Argentina loomed - the team that defeated Algeria in their opening match. The semi-finals could have featured England or Brazil.
But Switzerland ended those dreams early with goals from Breel Embolo after ten minutes and Dan Ndoye in the first minute of the second half. Algeria finished the tournament having scored five and conceded seven.
