The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Algeria

This page contains a list of the greatest Algerian Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 41 of which were born in Algeria. This makes Algeria the birth place of the 63rd most number of Soccer Players behind China, and Estonia.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Algerian Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Algerian Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Algerian Soccer Players.

1. Rabah Madjer (b. 1958)

With an HPI of 57.72, Rabah Madjer is the most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 32 different languages on wikipedia.

Rabah Mustapha Madjer (Arabic: رابح مصطفى ماجر; born 15 December 1958) is an Algerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He reached stardom as a Porto player during the 1980s, being widely regarded as one of the best Algerian football players of all time. In his six-year spell with that club, he won nine major titles, including three national championships and the 1987 European Cup. One of the most prolific Algeria internationals in number of games and goals, Madjer played in two World Cups with his national team, helping it to its first ever participation in 1982. Having taken up coaching immediately after retiring, he managed several clubs, and also had several spells with the Algeria national team.

2. Lakhdar Belloumi (b. 1958)

With an HPI of 53.67, Lakhdar Belloumi is the 2nd most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 30 different languages.

Lakhdar Belloumi (Arabic: لخضر بلومي; born on 29 December 1958) is an Algerian former football player and manager. A former attacking midfielder, he is widely considered the best Algerian player of all time and one of the best players in Africa. He is said to have invented the "Blind Pass". He was named the fourth-best African player of the century by IFFHS. He holds the record as the most capped Algerian player with 100 national caps (147 caps not recognized by FIFA) and is also the third best goalscorer of the Algerian national team in all time with 28 goals (34 goals not recognized by FIFA). Belloumi's goal against reigning European champions West Germany earned Algeria a stunning 2–1 victory in their World Cup debut in Spain '82.

3. Rabah Saâdane (b. 1946)

With an HPI of 52.98, Rabah Saâdane is the 3rd most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Rabah Saâdane (Arabic: رابح سعدان; born 3 May 1946) is an Algerian football manager and retired professional player whose playing career was abruptly interrupted at the age of 27 by a car accident. His last management job was of the Algerian national team before resigning in September 2010. It was his fifth separate spell in charge of the team after earlier stints between 1981 and 2004 and was arguably his most successful, given its arduous qualification process. He was in charge when the U-20s qualified for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, Algeria's first participation in a major tournament. He was also part of the 1982 FIFA World Cup backroom staff and head coach in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Saâdane was designated as Africa's best coach by the Africa International Sport Convention (CISA) during its 6th edition held in Bamako, Mali. He was described by the convention as being the only coach in the world to have qualified a team to four Fifa World Cup finals, including one in the junior level.

4. Alexandre Villaplane (1905 - 1944)

With an HPI of 52.16, Alexandre Villaplane is the 4th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Alexandre Villaplane (24 December 1904 – 27 December 1944) was a French football player who played as a midfielder. He appeared in the France national team in the 1928 Summer Olympics and captained the national team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup. Villaplane was also a Nazi collaborator who was arrested and executed for his actions during World War II.

5. Djamel Zidane (b. 1955)

With an HPI of 50.82, Djamel Zidane is the 5th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. Her biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Djamel Zidane (born 28 April 1955) is an Algerian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He appeared for the Algeria national team at the 1982 World Cup and the 1986 World Cup, in which he scored one goal, a free kick against Northern Ireland. He spent nine seasons with hometown club USM Alger. Making his first steps in the B team, he had rapidly ascended to the A team, then playing in the Algerian Division 2 in 1972. He won two Algerian Juniors Cups, and helped promote the team to the 1st division in the 1973/74 season. He was crowned Algerian best player of the year, and departed to the Belgian League, where he spent seven seasons with KV Kortrijk and KSV Waterschei. Zidane amassed 15 appearances with the Algerian national team between 1975 and 1986, 5 of them in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He made his international debut in a friendly against Albania, a 1–0 win, in January 1975. He did not play again for his country until 1981, when he scored his first international goal in a 2–0 defeat of Nigeria in Lagos in October 1981. He was part of Algeria's 1982 FIFA World Cup squad, the country's first appearance in the competition, which ended with an elimination after the West-Germany Austria Non-aggression pact of Gijón. Zidane was also part of Algeria's squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where he scored his only World Cup goal against Northern Ireland, a free-kick on the hour mark. Algeria's final game in that competition, a loss against Spain, was Zidane's last international appearance. In 2006 a football academy named after the champion opened in El Achour quarter "Our objective is to educate and train young players, to create an environment in which they can progress," explained academy director Farid Bahbouh. He is not related to Zinedine Zidane. Djamel Zidane at National-Football-Teams.com

6. Rachid Mekhloufi (b. 1936)

With an HPI of 49.77, Rachid Mekhloufi is the 6th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Rachid Mekhloufi (Arabic: رشيد مخلوفي; born 12 August 1936 in Sétif, French Algeria) is an Algerian former footballer who played as a striker. He later became a manager and coached the Algeria national football team.

7. Abdelaziz Ben Tifour (1927 - 1970)

With an HPI of 49.47, Abdelaziz Ben Tifour is the 7th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Abdelaziz Ben Tifour (Arabic: عبدالعزيز بن طيفور; (1927-07-25)25 July 1927 – (1970-11-19)19 November 1970) was a professional French-Algerian footballer who played as a midfielder.

8. Mustapha Dahleb (b. 1952)

With an HPI of 49.25, Mustapha Dahleb is the 8th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Mustapha Dahleb (born 8 February 1952) is an Algerian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Having begun his career at Sedan and CR Belouizdad, he spent most of his career at Paris Saint-Germain before playing a final season at Nice. At the international level, Dahleb represented the Algeria national team. He holds the records of being the fourth-highest goalscorer for Paris Saint-Germain in the French first division and seventh all-time goalscorer in all competitions.

9. Islam Slimani (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 48.98, Islam Slimani is the 9th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

Islam Slimani (Arabic: إسلام سليماني; born 18 June 1988) is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club K.V. Mechelen and the Algeria national team. Slimani began his career in his homeland with JSM Chéraga and CR Belouizdad. In 2013, he moved to Europe, signing for Sporting CP. He played and scored regularly during his three seasons in Portugal, helping his team win the Taça de Portugal in 2015. In 2016, Slimani was transferred to Leicester for a club record £28 million fee. An Algerian international, Slimani made his international debut in 2012 and played at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2023, and was also a part of the Algeria side that won the 2019 tournament. He was additionally part of Algeria's squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he finished as the team's joint top scorer with two goals. As of January 2024, he has won over 100 international caps and scored 45 goals, making him Algeria's highest all-time goalscorer.

10. Ali Bencheikh (b. 1955)

With an HPI of 47.13, Ali Bencheikh is the 10th most famous Algerian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Ali "Alilou" Bencheikh (Arabic: علي بن شيخ; born 9 January 1955) is an Algerian former international footballer who played as a midfielder. «Alilou», as he was known to the MC Alger fans, was born in the village of (at-waguag in the biban mountains of basse kabylie), close to the village of El M'hir daira of manssourah in the province of Bordj Bou Arreridj. He made his first team debut as a midfielder for MCA at age 17 and went on to win many trophies and awards on the way, including the club's only African Champions Cup in 1976. He was a member of the Algerian national team at the 1982 World Cup. Alilou was 19th in IFFHS voting for the African player of the century. 1973–1988 MC Alger 1979–1980 DNC Alger 1986–1987 JSM Chéraga MC Alger African Champions League: 1976 Maghreb Cup Winners Cup: 1974 Algerian League: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 Algerian Cup: 1973, 1976, 1983 Algeria All-Africa Games: 1978 Mediterranean Games bronze medal: 1979 Individual African Footballer of the Year: runner-up 1978; third 1976 Player profile - dzfootball

People

Pantheon has 58 people classified as Algerian soccer players born between 1905 and 2000. Of these 58, 49 (84.48%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Algerian soccer players include Rabah Madjer, Lakhdar Belloumi, and Rabah Saâdane. The most famous deceased Algerian soccer players include Alexandre Villaplane, Abdelaziz Ben Tifour, and Georges Lamia. As of April 2024, 18 new Algerian soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Rachid Mekhloufi, Abdelaziz Ben Tifour, and Ali Bencheikh.