ALGIERS, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) announced on Wednesday that Djamel Belmadi will succeed Rabah Madjer as head coach of the national team.
The news was revealed in an official statement on the FAF website, accompanied by a photograph of Belmadi shaking hands with FAF president Kheireddine Zetchi.
Former Algeria captain Belmadi has been appointed to lead the team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and faces the challenge of reversing the fortunes of a side that has suffered from instability and poor performances since the departure of French coach Christian Gourcuff.
Belmadi's more immediate challenge will be to lead the Greens to the knockout stages of the 2019 African Cup of Nations.
The former midfielder's first official match in charge will be an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia in Banjul in early September. This game will no doubt be eagerly awaited by Algerian fans keen to see the Greens get back to winning ways after a disappointing run of performances over the previous two years.
Born in France in March 1976, Belmadi's playing career saw him turn out for several prominent European clubs, including French sides Paris Saint-Germain and Olympic Marseille, and Manchester City in England. After retiring as a player in 2009, Belmadi moved into coaching, winning the 2014 Gulf Cup of Nations with Qatar.
