Algeria versus Egypt

Not just a game of football

When sporting nationalism turns ugly

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Readers' comments



let us show some of the backgrounds , algerian fans always pelted egyptian national football team and the fans in algeria , in 2002 enabaa city it was the qualification football between algeria vs egypt again and the football was draw and the fans outside waiting the egyptian bus and pelted the bus in the way back to algeria capital , and in 1989 the balloumi capitan of algeria hit egyptian doctor after they defeated from egypt 1-0 , and run away from egypt
and what the reason to attack egyptian residents and destroy the egyptian companies who help the algerian people to earn their money , this egyptian companies make big prgress for petrol , telecommunications, gas, contractors , build modern bridges , compounds etc , all this investments for algerian people more than egypt , why they show the hatred and rage against this innoncent people , they are a brothers in one religion , one language , but i think it is behind this riots and mobs big conspiracy against anything egyptian in algeria , and that is clear for anybody in egypt and arabian countries , i hope the two countries back to their religion and realize how much we belong to each other without wrath , threat language , we need each other and it was a football match not more , i wish all the best for the two countries


The violence seen before and after the game has nothing to do with footbal and everything to do with Politics. There is no doubt that Mobarak tried to use the event to expoit the nationalistic fervour in Egypt as a springboard to launch his son Gamal mobarak campaign for the presidency in 2011. Algerian authorities noticed this and since they want to end the Moubarak dynasty decided to put all the state resources in order to stop Gamal from making any gain. Gamal and his brother Alaa decided to transport 2400 National Democratic Party as well as a lot of artists and celecbrities to the Sudan match. However, that immature youth left everything else to chance. The Algeria regime, however, know better how to organsie such "wars". They sent representaives to the Sudanese president, and also met wiht the opposition. Algeria was allowed to transport 20,000 supporterrs, and were granted exceptional permission to land military airplanes for that puropose. The Algerians were transported for free and granted a free phone sim card. In effect, the Algerian team felt like they played on home ground, while the Egyptians were completely absent. In conclusion, Mobarak plan wa thwarted due to the incompetence of his son, who cannot even prepare a small battle, so how can he run a country of 80 million?

ahmed limam

The Economist should be less unbiased and use common sense. Why would the Algerians go and attack the Egyptians unless in self defense? After all, they're the ones who won the game. If the Egyptians can't graciously accept defeat, well, then they should withdraw from FIFA, but showing violence towards the winning team shows a sad lack of sports spirits. And Egypt's (unelected) political leaders showed how pathetic they are, riding the cheap crest of popular anti-Algerian sentiment. As for Crown Prince Gamal Mubarak’s threats about "Egypt's wrath", ooh, the Algerians must be shaking in their sports shoes unless they remember how the Israelis keep whacking the Egyptians on the military field. Empty threats from a bankrupt regime. Poor Arab World!


SIR - I am profoundly disappointed by your article. The comparison with the football war between Honduras and Salvador is tempting but oblivious. The war between the two countries wasn't the result of a football game but of deeper sociological tensions. Also, your article lacks in professionalism. By trying to be objective and satisfy both parties you have actually ended not delivering rigorous information. There were not riots in Sudan, only 3 Egyptians were reported to have been superficially hurt whereas three Algerian players had to play in Egypt with stitches and around 40 Algerians were harmed in Cairo with more than 8 badly hurt. Your article does not seem to acknowledge that the Algerian diplomacy has been very restrained compared to vivid and racist Egyptian reactions. I think it should be pointed out that the Algerian reaction has been by far more civilised and subtle; be it through the media or through official channels. All Arabs are not the same and their reactions differ quite vastly. This very non exhaustive list is corroborated by official declarations of the foreign minister in Sudan, declarations of the Algerian embassy in Cairo and the Algerian Foreign minister and by some Egyptian officials. By note condemning more firmly the Egyptian racist reaction you have lacked in journalistic courage. I am very disappointed by this article...


Reigal wrote:

"As for football being an opiate of the people I will say the opposite is true: it scares the heck out of dictators who try to hug it close in order to control it's volatile power. As mentioned it is one of the few times in which they are not in full control. It terrifies them. And anything that terrifies dictators cannot by definition be an opiate of the massess."

The same could be said about the original opiate of the masses "Religion" how many statemen use religion to propagate their agendas? how many times has it gone out of control and resulted in chaos?


Wow, this article has a lot of mis recorded information. It missed to mention the vicious attack on the Algerian team's bus by stoning, that injured a number of players before the match. I would expect a bit more of a balanced and researched report from the Economist. The article had a good story to cover but lost its credibility with such a bias.

Theodosius West

What is it about this sport that fosters such reprehensible outbursts? Irrespective of where it's played or by whom, it constantly serves as a catalyst for violence and destruction. Its supporters are easily the worst in the world of sport, likely featuring more miscreants than all other sporting disciplines combined.

Why, in this case their love of mayhem even trumped that legendary love for their Arab brothers that we read and hear so much about. Perhaps a worldwide moratorium is the answer.


Football is basically a game designed to keep riff-raff off the streets - unfortunately it only works for the duration of the match.


As a Salvadoran I am very disappointed that The Economist would attribute the El Salvador-Honduras war to a football game. The conflict was due to tensions stemming from the Central American Common Market and the expulsion of Salvadoran immigrants from Honduras. Just as the expulsion of the Salvadorans was wrong, the invasion of Honduras was equally wrong. But what else can be expected when all Central America is run by entrenched oligarchies?


When an activity (Professional Sports) occupies & distracts the Minds of the People from the really important tasks at hand, then it must be Inherently BAD.

What was once thought of as cheap "Entertainment" has now become Big Business, worth untold Billion$. We now have access to Commercial Sports programming 24/7/365, so who has time for anything else?

International Sports competitions like FIFA's "World Cup", are supposed to bring the People of the World together under the Spirit of "Fair Play". Instead (as we have witnessed), more & more it has brought out the Foul & Ugly side of people!

What happened in Algiers, Cairo & Khartoum is a stark reminder that we still have a LONG way to go. And that right beneath the Surface, Fake Nationalism, Tribalism & False Pride is waiting to Break Out & Blow Up in all our Faces!!

So far, the Autocratic Regimes have managed to Capitalize on these events by allowing their Subjects to Vent some of their Anger, by attacking the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, or Egyptian Businessses in Algiers. This was allowed to happen, despite the fact that Egypt has been governed under an Endless State of Emergency (almost a Century), that literaly prevents the assembly of more than a handful of people.

This time the Distraction worked, both governments can breathe a Sigh of Relief. But now that the Youth have been emboldened, it's only a matter of time before they turn on you know who?
With Hooliganism & Thuggery now officially Tolerated (if not sanctioned) by the State, it's guaranteed to come back & bite them in the A...

Peace, Love & Respect.


The whole buiness was handeled with a clumsy hands.From the begining It was most unfourtunate mixing up sports with politics.Media was a big spoiler.It couldn't be worth,it was a race of dishonisty.I feel sorry for them all.


It would have only been fair to mention the savage attack orchestrated by Egyptian Fans on the Algerian National Team in Cairo. Moreover, the alleged attacks on Egyptian Fans in Khartoum could have resulted in 20 lightly injured fans, nothing as circulated by Egyptian medias at the hands of the country's elite who suddenly see their political aspirations of putting Gamal Moubarak on the Throne disturbed by a young Algerian National Team. The Egyptian leadership political plans have been uncovered, and the dirty tactics have backfired. Gamal ought to man up and direct his wrath to those who have been oppressing his brethren next door. Algerians do not fear a wrath of words. They defend their honor on the battlefield, not on TV screens.


Is this a joke?

"The elder, Alaa, spoke on television of Algerian terrorism, while Gamal Mubarak, who many think is being groomed to succeed his father, told Algeria it would “suffer the consequences of Egypt’s wrath.”"

Maybe Alaa could also tell the Egyptians that nobody fears Egyptian "wrath" because of the incompetence of the Egyptian government. Anymore such "wrath" and the Egyptians may cease as an independent nation.


Well done Algeria.
When it comes to playing football on the world arena, Algeria always represents africa better than Egypt and plays with courage and resilience. It became the first African country to defeat a major European footballing power when it humbled Germany in 1978(this was followed by one of the most shameful episodes in world cup history when Austria and Germany colluded to oust Algeria)



Sports have become the Modern Day "Opiate of the Masses".

Anyone who has Cheered on his/her Favorite Sporting Club, can attest to that. From the Fanatical Canadian Hockey Fans, on to the Famous Cheese Heads (supporters of the Green Bay Packers) of the NFL, on to the World's Football Fans, All are under the Influence of this Opiate.

What is alarmingly disturbing, is this Phenomenon of Violence (on & off the field/pitch) that seems to have Spared no one. Like a Pandemic, Hooliganism has now Spread to the Four Corners of the World.

These Hordes of increasingly Hopeless, Frustrated, Under-Educated, Unemployed Youths (tens of millions of them) can't be Blamed for Acting Out. After all, this was one of those Rare Opportunities where the Omnipresent "Police State" allowed them to Relieve some of that Pent up Pressure.

What Saddens & Shocks me, is how easy it was for the Young People of these two Fraternal Nations to Turn on one another and come to Blows over a Silly & Stupid Game.

What a SHAME......

Peace, Love & Respect.


"After the play-off in Sudan, some Algerians pelted the gloom-laden Egyptians with stones." ... where is the evidence for that????????????????? Denied by egyptian officials in Sudan and also sudanese officials...

Egyptians did stone the Algerian players bus, wounding three players !!!! Also confirmed by Fifa.

Egyptians are gone mad because supposedly twenty or so egyptians were hurt in Sudan ( a neutral ground btw). Even if 20 egyptians were lightly hurt, that is not a pretext to go completely crazy and expect excuses from Algeria.

Egyptians are unfortunately being completely manipulated by their Pharaoh Moubarak. Where were they when bread was so expensive ? Where were they when their neighbor in Gaza were suffering ? Everything is a distraction, too bad Egyptians are falling for it....


The famous "Football/Soccer War" between El Salvador and Honduras was not even remotely "caused" by that football match, but stemmed from massive Salvadorean migration to Honduras.


Better on the soccer pitch than in the Mediterranean. This saber rattling has little to do with soccer and much to do with politics. Unfortunately too much politics has entered this wonderful sport.



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