Rennes Forward Gouiri Swaps France For Algeria
France Under-21 striker Amine Gouiri on Tuesday said he had chosen to represent Algeria at international level, with an eye on playing for the country at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
“With pride, I announce my decision to join the Algerian national team,” Gouiri, 23, wrote on Instagram.
“I will put my body and soul on the line for the Fennecs jersey to fly the country’s flag and contribute to writing the next pages of its rich history.”
Gouiri, who has played for France at every age level from the under-16s upwards, said he was grateful for the memories of playing for his country of birth before adding that “the time has come to start a new chapter”.
The decision puts an end to months of suspense after the Algerian football federation announced in January that Gouiri was likely to change his international allegiance.
The former Lyon and Nice forward scored 15 goals in 33 Ligue 1 games last season after joining Rennes.
Algeria won the Cup of Nations for the second time in 2019 but crashed out in the group stage of last year’s edition, which was delayed from 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
