Rafik Guitane, whose father is Algerian and whose mother is Moroccan, chose not to play for Morocco. The native of Évreux has made it clear that his heart only beats for Algeria.
“I’m working to try to get my chance one day. If the performance is good, it will open up, you shouldn’t try to force things. […] I have all my family in Algeria, I spend several months there every vacation. I am very close to my family in Algeria, I visit them every year,” said Rafik Guitane in the show “C’est Vous l’Expert” on La Gazette du Fennec.
And to continue: “For me, there is no debate on that, it is Algeria 100%. Even if I don’t advance with the FAF, I won’t choose Morocco. The Federation has not contacted me, but I know a few players like Ramy Bensebaïni and Ismaël Bennacer.”
The right winger from Estoril Praia, a Portuguese first-division club, also returned to the Algerian team’s journey at the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. “We were all surprised, even disappointed. We feel that there is a lot of pressure on the national team. For me, the CAN was not that bad, there were good things, but I remain disappointed, like all Algerians. […],” he confided.
The 24-year-old expressed his desire to “be called up and compete with some players. […] Chaïbi and Ait Nouri impress me, they can become captains of the national team. I try to follow everyone, and it’s not bad what they offer.”
