Belmadi urges fans in France to be ambassadors for Algeria

Cairo (AFP) – Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi has called on the team’s fans to “respect the countries where we are living” after celebrations in France en route to Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations final turned ugly.

Police arrested almost 300 people last Sunday in France which is home to large Algerian-origin communities following the semi-final win over Nigeria.

In Paris clashes broke out between fans and police on the Champs-Elysees avenue, which was littered with broken bikes and scooters.

There was also violence in Marseille and Lyon. 

Three days earlier, when Algeria defeated Ivory Coast, fans went on the rampage in the French capital, looting shops.

On the same day in Montpellier, an Algerian football supporter lost control of his car at high speed and ran into a family, killing a woman and seriously injuring her baby.

With these incidents in mind, Belmadi said on the eve of the final: “We want to be representatives and show the world what Algerians can do.

“Just as what they are doing during their protests every Friday in a disciplined and ordered manner,” in a reference to the weekly street protests in Algeria against the government.

He added: “We also want the celebrations to stay in order and to respect the countries where we are living, it’s very important for us.”

Algeria face Senegal in Cairo bidding to capture the title for a second time after success in the 1990 edition on home soil.