Petkovic blames his players in post-World Cup report after Algeria's elimination

Vladimir Petkovic did not spare his players in the report he submitted to the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) following the 2026 World Cup. After the Fennecs’ elimination by Switzerland (2-0) in the round of 16, the Bosnian manager acknowledged a degree of personal responsibility, but primarily designated his players as the main culprits for this disappointing exit.

In this document, revealed by La Gazette du Fennec, Petkovic points to “the lack of consistency” among several key players, whom he judges incapable of “maintaining a high level of performance” over time. His harshest criticism targets the defensive sector: according to him, “Algeria does not have a sufficiently solid defensive foundation to control its matches and manage weak periods.”

Algeria had managed to advance from the group stage by finishing among the best third-place teams, before succumbing without question to the Swiss. While elimination in the round of 16 is not in itself a disaster for this squad, the manner of it fueled fierce controversy in Algeria, where a large portion of supporters holds Petkovic responsible.

Despite this tense context, the 62-year-old coach did not include a resignation letter with his report. According to La Gazette du Fennec, Petkovic is expected to continue leading the Greens: he had extended his contract until 2028 during the World Cup.