ABU DHABI // The Algerians face Belgium in their first World Cup clash – with kick off at 8pm UAE time on June 17 at Estadio Mineirao.
Korea Republic and Russia are the other competitors in Group H.
The Desert Warriors have appeared in three World Cups, in Spain in 1982, where they beat West Germany 2-1 in their first appearance, but were eliminated later in the round.
They qualified for Mexico 1986, but crashed out in the first round against Brazil, Spain and Northern Ireland.
Algeria’s last appearance was in South Africa 2010 where they were drawn against England, USA and Slovenia, and were knocked out without scoring a single goal. Algeria is 25th in the Fifa world rankings.
“There is great hope and expectation for Algeria this World Cup,” said Ahcene Tezkratt, 32, a sales manager who has lived in Dubai since 2009.
“The hope is that we will reach the final of course. The first group is the most important for us, if we get past that then I think we can achieve anything.
“I don’t think Belgium are one of the strong European teams, but we may be surprised this year. Our first match is with them and I feel that even going equal is fine for us because it is just the first match.
“Our issue as a football team is that when we are playing the strongest teams we find our power and can score, but when the team is less strong, we seem to do worse.
Ahcene said that Algeria is a true footballing nation.
“Football is in our blood – we are playing from when we are small. Everyone plays football in Algeria.
“There are big celebrations across the country. Even if we are not in Brazil we act like we are in the stadium. We find somewhere to go and watch the games.
“Here in Dubai it isn’t as good, but still we watch every game.
“Honestly in Algeria it is better because everyone will be outside and nobody will ask why you are raising your voice. Our issue is once we get a win we have a huge party, we go crazy. This is the problem.
Ahcene said he was very pleased with the choice of host nation.
“Brazil is the mother of football – it is a footballing country – once you hear Brazil you think of two things only: beautiful ladies and football – that is it,” he said.
Other’s had a far more serious view of the games.
“For Algerians in general, being in the World Cup goes beyond the physical presence, it is much more a psychological victory over a two decades isolation due to the civil war against the Islamists in the 1990s and early 2000s,” said Slimane Lhocine, a 35 year-old football fan who has lived in Dubai for six years.
“We are in a World Cup because we wanted to break into the international arena again as we did in 1982 against Germany where we made a quiet an impression.
“We deeply know that we probably will not make into the second round, but we come along a difficult road just to say that these young players are a mouth piece of the new young, ambitious, open minded, multicultural new Algeria .
“Watching the world cup in the UAE is a real challenge because of work, and the time of matches airing. I think a lot of the games are at 2am Dubai time and I must be sleeping to get up for work.
He also had concerns about the situation in the host country.
“I’m really worried about security issues as there is serious social upheaval in Brazi. There are daily rallies now in Brazil because of poverty and drug gangs.”
ksinclair@thenational.ae
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
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Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
