Algeria: Alexandre Oukidja rules himself out of AFCON 2025 | OneFootball

No AFCON for Oukidja

Alexandre Oukidja/@republicain-lorrain

Major setback for Alexandre Oukidja. The Algerian goalkeeper will be sidelined for several months due to a serious injury that requires surgery.

After moving from Metz to IMT Belgrade this summer, the Fennec (7 caps) hoped to revive his career and make Vladimir Petković’s plans for AFCON 2025, scheduled from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco.

Unfortunately for him, that won’t happen. The 37-year-old shot-stopper has left the Serbian club prematurely after suffering a torn cruciate ligament along with a meniscus tear.

The Nevers native broke the devastating news himself on Instagram: “It is with great sadness that I announce I have recently suffered the injury I always feared: a torn cruciate ligament accompanied by a meniscus tear.”

Nevertheless, the former Metz keeper isn’t giving up or thinking about retirement: “Unfortunately, some complications have been added to this injury. It’s a tough phase in my career, but I’m staying focused on my upcoming surgery and recovery, surrounded by the right people to come back stronger,” he concluded.