Bensebaini: 2019 Afcon glory made Algerians forget everyday problems

Borussia Monchengladbach left-back Ramy Bensebaini said Algeria’s triumph at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt made the whole country forget their various problems for a while.

After keeping an unbeaten run in all the way to the final, an early strike from Baghdad Bounedjah helped the Desert Foxes defeat Senegal 1-0 at the Cairo International Stadium last July.

Bensebaini played a crucial role in Djamel Belmadi’s team during the tournament, featuring in all but one of their matches in Egypt.

When quizzed about the impact of the 2019 Afcon glory, the 25-year-old defender told Goal and SPOX: “Almost everyone there loves football. Our victory has therefore made the whole country incredibly proud.

“It has allowed people to forget for a while about their various problems in everyday life or in the whole country. These were unforgettable moments for us - especially when we were welcomed by hundreds of thousands of people on the streets.”

The Constantine-born defender started his professional career at Algerian Ligue 1 outfit Paradou AC after rising through the club's youth academy in Algiers.

Bensebaini left the capital city for Belgian club Lierse in 2014 – his first European move – and he is aspiring to help young footballers in the country achieve their dreams.

“With a personal view of myself, my CV and my profession, it would be great if there were significantly more academies in the country that train young footballers,” he continued.

“You really have to imagine that there are so many young people in the districts of the cities who are crazy about football and who play football undiscovered every day.

"Many of them are really technically proficient, but there is a lack of structures and institutions to which they can turn and which promote these talents.

“This would be a great achievement because, in the long run, the domestic league and the national team could benefit from it.

"But also the players themselves, because it could give them a better future - perhaps even as professionals in one of the European leagues.”