Rafik Belghali, the 23-year-old Algerian right-back, delivered a bold message on the eve of his team’s World Cup Group J opener against defending champions Argentina: no fear, no inferiority, and a belief that the Desert Foxes can pull off a historic upset.
“We have all the qualities to beat Argentina,” Belghali said Monday at Arrowhead Stadium, where Algeria will face Lionel Messi and the world’s No. 1-ranked side on Tuesday night. “They are a team like any other, and just because they are Argentina doesn’t mean we should be afraid.”
For a player making his World Cup debut against the reigning champions – a side that has won five straight friendlies by a combined 14-1 and has not lost since 2024 – such words might be dismissed as youthful bravado. But Belghali, a rising star at Hellas Verona in Italy’s Serie A, has built a reputation on defying expectations.
A choice of the heart
Born in Belgium to Algerian parents, Belghali chose to represent the nation of his roots over the country of his birth – a decision he has never regretted. “Since I was little, I wanted to represent my country,” he has said. “This choice was from the heart, not a career decision.”
That heart now beats on the biggest stage in global sport. And Belghali intends to make every moment count.
The Messi factor – and the cracks
Here is the daunting reality for Algeria: Lionel Messi is on the verge of becoming the first footballer in history to appear at six separate World Cups. On Tuesday night, he will earn his 200th international cap, adding to a ledger that already includes 116 goals and a 2022 World Cup triumph. Argentina sits atop the FIFA rankings, and their midfield – anchored by Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and Rodrigo De Paul – is widely considered the tournament’s strongest.
But here is the opening Algeria sees: Argentina is not at full strength. Left-back Nicolás Tagliafico has been ruled out, and starting goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is highly uncertain with a hand injury. Moreover, four years ago, Messi and company lost their World Cup opener to Saudi Arabia – a reminder that even giants can stumble.
A history of shocks
Algeria has pulled off World Cup upsets before. In 1982, in their tournament debut, the Desert Foxes shocked West Germany 2-1, becoming the first African team to defeat a European side in the competition. In 2014, they pushed eventual champion Germany to extra time in the round of 16. And just two weeks ago, on June 3 in Rotterdam, they beat the Netherlands 1-0 in a friendly.
“We respect Argentina, but with our collective and our talent, we can do something,” Belghali told a French football outlet earlier this year – a philosophy he has carried into the World Cup.
Petkovic’s hybrid side
Vladimir Petkovic, the Bosnian coach who took over in early 2024, has built a team that blends veteran experience with youthful energy. Captain Riyad Mahrez, 35 and playing his final World Cup, remains the creative heartbeat. Mohamed Amoura, the Wolfsburg forward who top-scored in African qualifying with 10 goals in 10 games, provides the cutting edge. And Belghali, alongside Manchester City’s Rayan Aït-Nouri, is tasked with providing attacking width from full-back in Petkovic’s aggressive 4-2-3-1 system.
The back line remains a concern – Algeria has kept only one clean sheet in its last 13 World Cup matches, and the three goalkeepers in the squad share just 10 caps between them. But Petkovic has never coached for caution.
A crowd behind the underdogs
Thousands of Algerian supporters are expected at Arrowhead Stadium, turning the match into something closer to a neutral-site atmosphere than a home game for the defending champions. That energy, Belghali believes, can tilt the balance.
“They are a team like any other,” he said again, as if testing the words for their power. “And just because they are Argentina doesn’t mean we should be afraid.”
Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET Tuesday. If Belghali is right, Arrowhead might just witness the first shock of World Cup 2026.
