The match between the Algerian national team and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup revealed a striking contrast in the Algerian media's approach to issues of refereeing and organization, particularly when compared to the heightened rhetoric that characterized their coverage during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco. Despite the significant controversy surrounding a particular incident involving Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, the aggressive discourse that had previously dominated their reporting seemed to have dissipated.
During the group stage match between Algeria and Argentina, Messi delivered a brutal tackle on one of the Algerian players, an incident that many analysts and refereeing experts believed warranted a direct red card. However, the referee opted to take no disciplinary action against Argentina's captain, which sparked considerable debate across social media platforms and various global sports programs. Surprisingly, prominent Algerian journalists, including the well-known Hafid Derradji, chose not to make this incident the focal point of their discussions, as they had in past instances. Instead, they redirected their focus toward the technical differences between the two teams.
In a video clip shared shortly after the match, Derradji attributed Algeria's defeat to the fact that they faced the world champions, highlighting Messi's exceptional talent, and argued that the outcome was logical given the match's technical dynamics. Notably, he refrained from addressing the controversial refereeing decisions that marred the game, even though officiating had previously been a key topic in his analyses of Algeria's performances during the tournament in Morocco.
It is worth mentioning that during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Derradji had repeatedly criticized the refereeing, asserting that several decisions negatively impacted Algeria's campaign. He even went so far as to link Algeria's elimination against Nigeria, which ended in a 2-0 defeat, to officiating and organizational errors. Moreover, the media's criticism extended beyond just the referees; it also encompassed doubts about the quality of the organization, with some Algerian media outlets transforming into daily platforms for discussing what they termed 'refereeing scandals' and 'organizational failures' during the continental championship, which was regarded by international sports publications as the best version in the continent's history.
Conversely, the scene during the 2026 World Cup has been markedly different. Sharp criticisms from the Algerian media have been noticeably absent, even as numerous observations regarding the organization, scheduling, travel, and logistical aspects of the tournament have been raised since its inception. Notably, Derradji has not made any significant comments regarding these shortcomings, despite having stated after Algeria's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations that the real opportunity for the national team would be at the World Cup, where 'the conditions are better,' as he expressed at that time.
Interestingly, the controversial incident involving Messi did not escalate into a major media issue in Algeria, unlike what occurred during the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where even lesser controversial refereeing decisions dominated headlines and discussions for hours and days. Furthermore, Algerian media outlets did not heavily condemn what many perceived to be a significant refereeing error in the match against Argentina, opting instead for limited coverage and scattered reactions that failed to reach the level of media campaigns that accompanied the African tournament.
This apparent disparity in the Algerian media's discourse highlights that the standard for criticism does not always correlate with the nature or magnitude of the error. For a segment of the Algerian media narrative, the issue does not lie with Nigeria, which eliminated Algeria from the Africa Cup of Nations, nor with Argentina, which defeated them in the World Cup, but rather with Morocco itself, which consistently becomes the focal point of criticism regardless of the circumstances or events involved.
As reported by assahifa.com.
