Called up for the first time with Algeria in October, the Stade Rennes striker responds to the accusations.
Attracted by the speech of the Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi this summer, the former OL player opted for the Fennecs, he who honored his first two selections in October against Cape Verde (5-1) and the Egypt (1-1). Gouiri has, however, long benefited from the youth selections in the French team, from the U16s to the Espoirs.
“ I thought about it a lot during the summer, with my agents, my friends, my entourage”he explains on Saturday in an interview with The Team. “I weighed the pros and cons and came to this decision. There were many things that tipped the scales for Algeria. These are my origins, the country of my family… It’s a country that I know well since I have been there regularly since I was little. It’s also a selection that I followed a lot, and I have always loved this passion that there is for football… I wanted to represent all of that. »
A decision criticized for its timing. Some believe that Gouiri would have voluntarily waited to announce his decision to join Algeria in order to be able to play the European Championship with the Bleuets in June. “It’s false,” he defended himself.
