Belmadi named new Algeria head coach

Algeria have appointed former midfielder Djamel Belmadi as their new head coach.

The 42-year-old has agreed a contract that will run until the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, according to a statement published by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF).

Belmadi succeeds Rabah Madjer, who was sacked in June.

After a playing career in which he captained Algeria and played for Marseille, Manchester City and Southampton, Belmadi was coach at Lekhwiya, now known as Al-Duhail, and the Qatar national team.

He then returned to Al-Duhail and won back-to-back Qatar Stars League titles before leaving his post this year.

Algeria, who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, begin qualifying duties for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations against The Gambia in September.

Djamel Belmadi est le nouveau sélectionneur de l’équipe nationale algérienne suite à l’accord trouvé entre lui est le président de la FAF, M. Khireddine Zetchi. Cela s’est passé ce mercredi 1er août 2018 à Paris où les deux hommes avaient pris rendez-vous.#TeamDZ #LesVerts pic.twitter.com/WQrHxenArI

— Les Verts d’Algérie (@LesVerts) August 2, 2018