After 12 consecutive years of unwavering service to the Algerian national team, Baghdad Bounedjah’s journey with the Fennecs has come to an end under the most heartbreaking of circumstances — his dream of featuring at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been shattered.
The Al-Sadd striker, who enjoyed a remarkable season scoring 22 goals and was crowned the Qatari league’s best player, had believed his strong form would earn him one final shot at World Cup glory. That dream, however, was extinguished when coach Vladimir Petkovic excluded him from the final squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Sources told dzwatch that Bounedjah had recently confided his deep anxieties to several teammates, with his greatest fear being exactly what ultimately came to pass — elimination from the final roster at the last moment.
His previous exclusion in March, amid reports of disciplinary issues following disputes with teammates during national team matches, had already planted seeds of doubt. Now, those fears have become reality, closing the chapter on a decorated international career without the World Cup finale he deserved.
