CAN 2025 / Algeria 3 - 0 Sudan: Ismaël Bennacer tells it like it is in the heat of the moment

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CAN 2025 / Algeria 3 - 0 Sudan: Ismaël Bennacer tells it like it is in the heat of the moment

CAN 2025 / Algeria 3 vs Sudan 0: Bennacer's immediate reaction

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CAN 2025 / Algeria 3 - 0 Sudan: Ismaël Bennacer tells it like it is in the heat of the moment

Bennacer, 3:30 p.m., emerges from the tunnel—shirt drenched, gaze steady. A 3-0 victory, yet he speaks with the candor of a man under scrutiny:

"I'm not at 100% yet. I only came back at the end of September, but I'm feeling good."

The words drop, raw and unfiltered; he knows the critics are circling on social media, that every missed pass will become a looping gif. He owns it, adding that the pressure is "good" when you put on national colors, then sums up:

"We started the match in style."

In the mixed zone, he instantly shifts into coach mode. He talks about the team as if it's a compass:

"We have a good group, very committed, and that's hugely important."

He doesn't mention Mahrez, Maza, or the defense; he highlights the spirit— the only asset that doesn't wilt in the Rabat heat. And already, he's looking ahead:

No empty phrases, just the ticking clock.

He heads for the team bus, headphones on, phone replaying first-half highlights. He knows the crowd will forget this 3-0 if the next game isn't a 6-0. So he repeats his mantra, almost to himself:

"I'm not at 100%, but I'm here."

Night falls, and Bennacer is already moving toward his next challenge, leaving behind the noise and dust of a match that was only the beginning.

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