LOSC Lille striker and former France youth international Yassine Benzia, 21, has opted to represent Algeria rather than France at the international level.
The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has announced that LOSC Lille striker Yassine Benzia has accepted the invitation to play for Les Fennecs despite having represented France at every youth level from U16 to U21, scoring 26 goals in his 43 appearances in the blue shirt.
Immediate effect
"Yassine Benzia, who yesterday met with FAF president Mr. Mohamed Raouraoua, has chosen to join the Algerian national team," read the communiqué. "The FAF will immediately begin the process of registering the player with FIFA."
Benzia moved from Olympique Lyonnais - where he had graduated form the youth academy - to Lille last summer in search of more game time, and he has scored five times in his 20 appearances for Les Dogues so far this season - already more than the four goals he bagged for OL in 37 appearances over three seasons in the senior squad.
While the fact that competition in the France squad in his position, notably from fellow Franco-Algerian and OL youth academy graduate Karim Benzema, is fierce, Benzia's decision to opt for Les Fennecs over Les Bleus also has a lot to do with the player's strong connection to his cultural roots.
French connection
Benzia, who can now be called up to the Algeria squad for AFCON qualifying action versus Ethiopia in March, will see plenty of familiar faces when on national team duty, from coach Christian Gourcuff, the long-time coach of Lorient, to former OL youth academy contemporary Rachid Ghezzal, not to mention a host of other Ligue 1-based Algerians such as Reims' Aïssa Mandi and Montpellier's Ryad Boudebouz.
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