Coach Belmadi Assures Algeria can win Afcon 2019 Tournament

Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi said in El Cairo that he believes his team can win the African Cup of Nations (Afcon 2019), even if no one else thinks the same.

We have been saying for some time now that we are here to do what nobody believes we can do. We believe in it, to be a bit ambitious is free of charge, even if the bar is set very high, said Belmadi said at a press conference.

The strategist highlighted that while many coaches avoid saying their team is favorite, he boldly aims to win the first Afcon crown for the Desert Foxes since 1990.

On Sunday, Algeria beat the Guinea team 3-0 in the round of 16, which was possibly the best performance of any team participating in the competition so far.

The North African team, pit in the quarterfinals against the winner between the Ivory Coast and Mali, scheduled to play this Monday, has won all its matches in the tournament without conceding even one goal.

We may not reach our goal, but we will do everything possible to get there, said Belmadi.

The 43-year-old coach was appointed last August, which brought an end to an agitated period during which Algeria changed coaches six times in two years.

Despite having one of the most talented squads in Africa, they were eliminated in the group stage in the previous Afcon in 2017 and could not qualify for the World Cup last year.