Algeria contact Mbappé’s agent to sign player

In recent months, several African national teams have made strategic use of dual nationality to attract players who, although not born on the continent, are eligible to represent them internationally.

Morocco has led the way, successfully convincing numerous talented players to join a squad that now aims to achieve major success at the next World Cup. Algeria has followed suit, stepping up its recruitment efforts after securing qualification for the tournament.

During the October international break, Luca Zidane, the son of Zinedine Zidane, obtained dual nationality and made his debut for the Algerian national team. The next in line could be Ethan Mbappé, the younger brother of Kylian Mbappé, who has reportedly been approached by the Algerian Football Federation about a potential call-up.

According to Fenec Football, the Algerian Federation has entered into talks with Fayza Lamari, Ethan’s mother and agent, to explore the possibility of him representing the Desert Foxes at the upcoming World Cup.

Although still a rumour, the 19-year-old Lille player holds triple nationality: French, Algerian through his mother, and Cameroonian through his father, Wilfried Mbappé. Convincing him to play for Algeria could therefore be little more than a formality before finalising the decision.

However, his possible inclusion has sparked some criticism, not because of the player himself, whose talent is widely recognised and who has already scored twice this season for Lille, including once against Paris Saint-Germain, but because of the Federation and coach Vladimir Petkovic’s strategy of favouring players with little or no prior international experience instead of developing local talent.

Historical tensions also add weight to the debate, as Algeria continues to view France with some suspicion following its long colonial rule and the bloody war for independence in the 20th century.

Algeria remains one of Africa’s most gifted footballing nations. Having won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, the Desert Foxes are determined to field their strongest possible squad for the next World Cup and cement their status on the global stage.

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Ethan Mbappé is among several promising names, including Maxime Lopez, currently at Paris FC and formerly of Marseille, who could feature in the squad heading to the Americas in June.

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