Algeria's national football team, known as Les Fennecs (The Fennec Foxes), represents one of Africa's most storied footballing nations. The team competes under the Algerian Football Federation and has long been a fixture in continental and, at times, global competition. Algeria made its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 1982 in Spain, producing one of the tournament's most celebrated upsets by defeating West Germany 2–1 — a result that remains a defining moment in African football history. The team returned to the World Cup in 1986, 2010, 2014, and 2019, with the 2014 campaign in Brazil standing out as a golden generation reached the round of sixteen, pushing eventual champions Germany to extra time.
On the continental stage, Algeria claimed the Africa Cup of Nations title in 1990, hosted on home soil, and ended a 29-year wait by winning the tournament again in 2019 in Egypt, remaining unbeaten throughout the competition. That second triumph, built on collective resolve and the creative influence of players based in Europe's top leagues, marked the high point of modern Algerian football.
Algeria's footballing identity is shaped by a passionate diaspora connection, with many leading players born or raised in France bringing a distinct technical quality to a side known for pace and tactical flexibility. The North African derby against Morocco and fixtures against Senegal and Nigeria carry particular intensity. In the current decade, Algeria has continued to be a competitive force in African qualifying, though a surprise absence from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar tempered expectations heading into the next cycle.