The elimination of Algeria by Cameroon left a bitter taste on Djamel Belmadi, coach of Fennecs.
Algeria already saw themselves in Qatar, but only, 10 seconds from the end of the match, the unexpected goal of Karl Toko Ekambi came to shatter the Algerian dream. Images of cries by Djamel Belmadi have gone around the web. But what attracts more attention are his statements, accusing the Gambian referee Bakary Gassama, of having privileged Cameroon.
“I say it today without fear: these referees do not respect our country. They come here, see our work and do not respect us. In the last two years, I have not seen a single referee who is not aggressive when you come to talk to him. I’m not looking for excuses, these are facts,” said the Fennecs coach at the end of the match.
Almost a month later, Djamel Belmadi was a guest of FAF TV, the media of the Algerian selection. The technician returned to the arbitration deemed “catastrophic”, refusing in passing to admit that Algeria is an African country.
“We will never let 2/3 people conspire against us again. No referee will come and hurt a whole country. When I saw this referee sitting in the airport lounge the next day having a coffee as if nothing was…” he said before continuing: “I flew, I saw him in Turkey to tell him what I thought. We, when we go to Africa, we don’t have the same favors. They stole the hopes of an entire country and they left him like that… I’m not saying he should be killed. But we’re not going to accept this kind of situation anymore. God willing, that we still relive new positive emotions. The players, I congratulate them, but we will have to do much better. Everyone. Me, the staff and that’s what we’re going to do.”