Algeria national team goalkeeper Melvin Mastil has spoken about his experience with the Fennecs at the 2026 World Cup and his duty to make Algerians proud.
What Mastil said about representing Algeria
Melvin Mastil emphasized the great pride he feels wearing the national team shirt. The goalkeeper said: "We have a responsibility when we wear the Algeria national team shirt. More than 60 million people are behind us and support us." He added that seeing his name on coach Vladimir Petković's list for the World Cup was a moment of fulfilling a childhood dream.
The keeper's memories from the 2026 World Cup
Mastil experienced the World Cup atmosphere from the bench, as he did not play a single minute during Algeria's campaign. However, he described the moment Riyad Mahrez scored the equalizer against Austria in the 90th minute as "something very important and emotionally strong for us." He also dedicated part of his talk to his most personal memory: swapping shirts with Argentina star Lionel Messi, whom he described as his idol since childhood.
Mastil's comments come as Algeria prepares for the next stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite his lack of playing time at the past World Cup, the goalkeeper remains one of the options available to coach Petković within a goalkeeping unit that also includes Luca Zidane and Oussama Benbot. Fans can follow the latest team data on our stats page.
The goalkeeper, who currently plays for Swiss club Lausanne, holds three passports. Born to Algerian parents, he also holds French and Swiss citizenship. He said on this matter: "It is clearly an honor to be Swiss, to be French and even more to be Algerian." He was elected the best goalkeeper in the Swiss Challenge League last season, which contributed to his national team call-up.
The national team now turns its focus to upcoming qualifying matches. Depth in the goalkeeping position, with options like Mastil, is a positive factor for coach Petković. The coming matches will be an opportunity for the goalkeeper to prove his worth and contribute more to the team's journey. Fans can check the schedules and results of these matches through our fixtures page.
