Petković Says ‘Anything Is Possible’ Ahead of Algeria’s World Cup Opener Against Argentina
By Dr. Hana Saada
LAWRENCE, Kansas, June 16 — Algeria head coach Vladimir Petković acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting his side against reigning world champions Argentina but insisted that his players are capable of producing an upset in their opening Group Stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Monday, Petković described Argentina as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders, highlighting the depth and quality of the South American side as they begin the defence of their world title.
“Argentina are not just any opponent,” the Algeria coach said. “They are the reigning world champions and have a squad filled with outstanding players.”
Petković identified Argentina as the leading favourites to lift the trophy once again but stressed that football remains unpredictable and that Algeria would approach the match with ambition and belief.
“Everything is possible,” he said, noting that Argentina’s status as favourites does not rule out the possibility of a surprise result.
The Algerian coach added that his players are fully prepared for the encounter, revealing that the technical staff had placed particular emphasis on the psychological aspect of the team’s preparations.
According to Petković, the coaching staff has worked to relieve the pressure associated with facing the defending champions and ensure that players approach the match with confidence and composure.
The fixture, which carries significant importance both competitively and psychologically for Algeria’s World Cup campaign, is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 a.m. Algerian time on Wednesday.
Algeria will be seeking a positive result to boost its prospects of advancing from the group stage, while Argentina begin their title defence aiming to reaffirm their status among the tournament favourites.
— 𝐄𝐍𝐃 —
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