Algiers

A word about the work

(REF : PGRI002)
It is the 10th October 2009, clients in a café in the Belcourt neighbourhood of Algiers are watching the match between Egypt and Zambia on the café’s television. Egypt is The Fennecs’ (Algeria’s national team) main rival at this stage in their bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
The stakes are high as it is the first World Cup to be held on African soil.
Egypt have just scored the first goal.
Algeria qualified a few weeks later during a very tense play-off against Egypt in Khartoum.

Christophe Larcher’s account, special correspdondent for L’Équipe Magazine.
Patrick got excited every time we went to Algiers. We went to immerse ourselves in the popular frenzy surrounding the Fennecs’ road to the 2010 World Cup. To explore the White City. We would go from a kids’ game in Bab El-Oued to a training session at Algiers’ Mouloudia Club, from meeting a Bologhine supporter’s club back to a bistrot in Belcourt…

Jean-Denis’s choice

These faces can be read like an open book.
The tension, stakes, despair and mad passion of these Algerians for their national team is visible, each person reacting differently. It’s the perfect illustration of Liverpool’s legendary coach, Bill Shankly’s, mythical quote which has been proven right time after time : « some people believe that football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that ».