The Algerian national team is facing a real goalkeeping crisis, with Melvin Mastil forced to miss the field, due to an injury that forced him to undergo surgery. Luca Zidane remains the only option currently available to Petkovic, after Osama Ben Bout chose to retire from international football immediately after the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Published on: 04/22/2026 - 16:02 Last updated: 04/27/2026 - 12:27

Melvin Mastell was forced to undergo surgery to treat a hernia, putting the Algerian national football team facing a goalkeeping crisis weeks before the 2026 World Cup.

Last Thursday, Mastel underwent surgery that is expected to keep him out of the remainder of the season for his team, Stade Nyonne, which plays in the Swiss second division, which means that his participation in the North American World Cup has become unlikely.

The 26-year-old made his presence felt among his country's national team on March 27 during the great friendly victory over Guatemala 7-0, but this injury may leave him out of the squad of Bosnian-Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic.

In a recent interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick, Mastel spoke about his first experience on the three benches of the Algerian national team, revealing that playing as a starter “put me under pressure... I was counting the hours until the match” which was held in Genoa, Italy.

He continued: "When I arrived at the stadium, I was very excited. In the locker room, I discovered the national team's shirt with my name printed on it. It was a bit of a crazy moment. I immediately took a picture of the shirt and sent it to my friends."

Regarding the atmosphere among the Greens, he said, “Mandria reassured me, and (Riyad) Mahrez gave me advice,” adding, “During the warm-up, Anthony Mandria (21 international matches) told me about his experience and reassured me a lot.”

But now it seems that he and Mandria are seriously threatened with missing the opportunity to participate in the most important football event, which makes Luca Zidane, who has won the confidence of the technical staff since the last African Cup of Nations and became the first goalkeeper, the only option currently available to Petkovic after Osama Ben Bout chose to retire from international football immediately after the continental cup in which the team reached the quarter-finals before exiting against Nigeria (0-2) in January.

France/AFP

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