Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic thinks his team is building a winning spirit at the right time. The Desert Foxes are set to play against Switzerland on Friday in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The North African team got to the knockout stage after one win and one draw in their last two group matches. They started the tournament with a tough 3-0 loss to defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi.
After that loss, Algeria showed their skills with great attacking play and strong spirit. But Petkovic knows the team needs to get better in defense, especially after some tense moments in their thrilling win over Austria.
The coach believes his players are improving as they aim for the last 16. "We’re building a winning mentality, step by step," Petkovic said through CAF Online.
He added, "In major tournaments, it’s important to try to keep improving game by game, and that’s what we’re doing."
This is Algeria's fifth World Cup appearance. Their best result was in 2014 in Brazil, where they reached the round of 16 before losing to Germany in extra time.
The Desert Foxes missed out on the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in Russia and Qatar. They are looking to go further in this tournament taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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