“It was bullshit”: Yacine Adli changes her mind and now wants to play for Algeria after favoring the France team

Towards a 180 degree turn for Yacine Adli? After proclaiming his ambition to play for the French team rather than Algeria, his country of origin, the 25-year-old midfielder opened the door to the Fennecs.

As part of an interview given to the Algerian media Sport Team and broadcast this Saturday, May 2, the player trained at Paris Saint-Germain, who now plays under the colors of Al-Shabab (Saudi Arabia), admitted “to having made mistakes”.

Adli considers himself “legitimate” to represent Algeria

Wishing to return to his comments made in March 2024 – “I believe that as a player, I want to play at the highest level, so, obviously, playing with France is a goal” -, Adli took advantage of this interview to make amends. “What I said, I meant it at the time. I was sincere (…) but it was bullshit. It did me a disservice, it deprives me of something that I have a right to know,” he regretted.

“I said that I aspired to the highest level, so with France as the objective but I have great respect for the Algerian national team, my greatest sporting joys are linked to it, I have enormous respect for my country,” he explained. “Where I walked the most in my life was in 2010, from my home in Villejuif to the Champs-Élysées,” remembered the native of Vitry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne), in reference to Algeria’s qualification for the South African World Cup, 24 years after its last participation.

Appearing to apply in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, in which Vladimir Petkovic’s men will participate, Adli affirms: he “never wanted to disrespect anyone”. “There was such a wave of hatred with people telling me We don’t want you to set foot in Algeria. What I said was Don’t worry, I’m not someone who will change his mind, who will go back on his words. But in reality, even that is bullshit. I can’t say it’s a youthful mistake, that’s what I thought at the moment,” he confided.

“Maybe I can contribute to the national team? »

Highlighting his relationship with Petkovic – “I had him in Bordeaux. I know him well (…) He recognizes my value and I know his style of play” – the player with 72 matches in two seasons under the Gironde colors also cited the example of Issa Diop, selected for the first time for the Moroccan national team in March after having made comments similar to those of Adli. “Today, the reality is that a lot of players change their selection. »

Revealing that he is ready to go to the United States to support Algeria from the stands during the North American World Cup, the ex-Parisian does not want to have any more regrets. “The reality is that I don’t want to be remembered at the end of my career (like that), that when they see me, people will say Ah look he didn’t play for the national team”, he whispered. “In all areas, we can change. The reality is the pitch, maybe I can contribute to the national team? I have no problems with that, no ego. »

A surprising turnaround when we remember the comments made by Yacine Adli to L’Équipe in September 2025. “I had announced my goal of playing for the France team. From the moment I made this decision, I’m not going back on it, that’s clear. It doesn’t matter if I play in Saudi Arabia or Europe. For me, there is nothing that changes and it is out of pure respect for Algeria,” he declared at the time.

There is no doubt that Vladimir Petkovic’s list for the 2026 World Cup will be scrutinized with even more attention from now on.