Algeria National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Mehdi Cerbah · Ramy Bensebaini · Chaabane Merzkane · Moustapha Zitoumi · Faouzi Ghoulam · Ali Fergani · Lakhdar Belloumi · Rabah Madjer · Riyad Mahrez · Salah Assad · Mustapha Dahleb

Algeria aims to play a direct and vertical style of football using a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup focuses on defensive solidity while looking to hit opponents on the transition through quick breaks. The team wants to sit deep and wait for the right moment to launch attacks into the final third.

Mehdi Cerbah stands between the posts to command his area. The defensive unit operates as a back five, with Ali Fergani and Ramy Bensebaini acting as central defenders who focus on winning the header and clearing the lines. Moustapha Zitoumi plays as a left centre back to provide extra cover and sweep behind the line. On the flanks, Chaabane Merzkane and Faouzi Ghoulam act as attacking wing backs. They provide the width by pushing up the pitch to support the attack while tracking back to defend the wide areas.

In the center of the pitch, Algeria utilizes a two man midfield to bridge the gap between defense and attack. Lakhdar Belloumi and Mustapha Dahleb work to control the central zone. Belloumi works to press aggressively to win the ball high, while Dahleb looks to recycle possession and connect the defensive unit to the forwards. These two players must work hard to cover the ground and deny the turn to opposition midfielders.

The attacking front three is designed to stretch the defence and punish mistakes. Rabah Madjer leads the line as a lone striker, looking to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. On the wings, Riyad Mahrez and Salah Assad play as wide attackers. Mahrez often looks to cut inside to create chances, while Salah Assad provides movement to pull defenders out of position. This front line is built to hit in behind on the transition and exploit the space left by advancing opponents.

A major strength of this Algeria lineup is the ability to provide wide overloads. When the wing backs push forward, they create numerical superiority alongside the wingers. The team also finds success through compactness when defending, making it difficult for opponents to play through the lines. This setup allows the team to remain hard to beat while staying ready to strike.

This 5-2-3 formation is built to defend deep and strike with pace. It is best suited for matches against teams that dominate possession and leave space behind their defensive line.