Foot Africa
·25 December 2025
CAN 2025 / Algeria 3 - 0 Sudan: Ismaël Bennacer tells it like it is in the heat of the moment

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Yahoo sportsFoot Africa
·25 December 2025


Bennacer, 3:30 p.m., emerges from the tunnel—shirt drenched, gaze steady. A 3-0 victory, yet he speaks with the candor of a man under scrutiny:
"I'm not at 100% yet. I only came back at the end of September, but I'm feeling good."
The words drop, raw and unfiltered; he knows the critics are circling on social media, that every missed pass will become a looping gif. He owns it, adding that the pressure is "good" when you put on national colors, then sums up:
"We started the match in style."
In the mixed zone, he instantly shifts into coach mode. He talks about the team as if it's a compass:
"We have a good group, very committed, and that's hugely important."
He doesn't mention Mahrez, Maza, or the defense; he highlights the spirit— the only asset that doesn't wilt in the Rabat heat. And already, he's looking ahead:
No empty phrases, just the ticking clock.
He heads for the team bus, headphones on, phone replaying first-half highlights. He knows the crowd will forget this 3-0 if the next game isn't a 6-0. So he repeats his mantra, almost to himself:
"I'm not at 100%, but I'm here."
Night falls, and Bennacer is already moving toward his next challenge, leaving behind the noise and dust of a match that was only the beginning.









































