The death of football star Rachid Mekhloufi at the age of 88 has marked the end of an era. For more than half a century, he was an integral part of Algeria's football landscape, becoming one of the country's most loved and respected figures.
His journey is a symbol of perseverance, talent, political courage, sacrifice and sportsmanship. Indeed, as a player he was never given a single card for foul play - never sent off, nor flagged by a referee. Those players who have known him closely speak of a humble man, generous with his time and advice to young players.
Mekhloufi is not just known for his contributions to Algerian and French football, as a star player and later as a leading coach, but also for his role as a symbol of Algeria's independence struggle. The news of his passing was announced by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who noted Mekhloufi's contribution as a player in the national team of the National Liberation Front (FLN) during the Algerian war.
As a scholar of international relations in Algeria and north Africa with a frequent focus on football and Algerian identity and politics, I followed Mekhloufi's career with great interest.
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As a kid in the 1970s, I often heard the name Mekhloufi. I remember seeing him for the first time on TV during the Mediterranean Games in Algiers in 1975. He coached the national football team throughout the tournament. Algeria won the gold medal, beating former colonial power France in the final.
Coming from a football mad family, my brothers held him in the highest possible esteem. The win against France ensured that the French national anthem La Marseillaise, a reminder of colonial rule, would not be played on Algerian soil that day. (Algeria had won independence in 1962 after years of war against France.) Instead, it was Kassamen, the national anthem of independent Algeria, that was played. This was one of the moments that cemented Mekhloufi's status in Algerian football folklore.
He was more than a footballer who mesmerised fans on the pitch, he was a symbol of resistance to many Algerians.
Star player
Mekhloufi was born in 1936 in the city of Sétif, 270km east of Algiers, the capital city. At the time, Algeria was firmly under French rule, an integral part of the French territory.
Undoubtedly, the rich football tradition in Sétif fostered his love of and dedication to the game, shaping his success. In 1952, he joined the USM Sétif football team, following in the footsteps of two other Algerian football heroes who had played for the club, Mokhtar Arribi and Abdelhamid Kermali. They would become his teammates in the rebel football team of the Algerian resistance in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After independence, each served a stint as coach of the national football team.
In 1954, Mekhloufi left Algeria to join AS Saint-Étienne football club in France, where he played until 1958. During that time, he helped the team win its first ever title: they were crowned French champions. Soon enough he won four caps for the French national team.
As a striker Mekhloufi was not only the undisputed star of Saint-Étienne, scoring 78 goals in 192 games, he was also on track to represent France at the 1958 Men's Football World Cup.
Political role
Nonetheless, in April 1958, two months before the cup, Mekhloufi and other players from Algeria left their various teams in France and formed the Équipe FLN team in neighbouring Tunisia. Algeria's resistance leaders had called on them to use football to promote the cause for independence and they had responded. The team defied colonialism to represent a country - Algeria - that France did not recognise.
Despite France's attempts to get world football body Fifa to stop the FLN team from playing, it played almost 100 friendly games against mainly former communist and Arab countries. They may have been criticised by the French media and authorities, but these players were a source of great pride for Algerians. The team's contribution to raising awareness about Algeria's struggle cannot be underestimated.
Giving up lucrative club contracts and jeopardising their international football careers is a sacrifice that only a true nationalist was willing to make.
Mekhloufi became known for his political role within football. Eric Cantona, the charismatic French footballer turned actor, for example, told Mekhloufi's story in the documentary series Football Rebels, which traces the life of footballers like Didier Drogba from Côte d'Ivoire and Socrates from Brazil, who also used their fame, talent and influence to fight for human rights and political change.
Despite having said that he wouldn't play for Saint-Étienne again, after independence in 1962, Mekhloufi returned to the club. He was central to them winning numerous trophies and championships.
Winning coach
When his playing career was over, Mekhloufi returned to Algeria and took up several positions in football. His period as coach of the national team stands out in particular.
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He coached the team that won the gold medal at the All-Africa Games in Algiers in 1978 and became instrumental in the development of a new generation of players. These players would form the backbone of the Algerian national team that entered the 1982 Men's Football World Cup with Mekhloufi as co-coach. They would pull off a shock victory over Germany to move beyond the qualifying rounds of the tournament for the first time ever.
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He would go on to be elected president of the Algerian Football Federation in 1998. In 2013, in recognition of his services, Saint-Étienne offered him a role as an ambassador of the club.
Mekhloufi's contribution to both Algerian football and the struggle for independence earned him a huge reputation. His achievements will always be a source of pride for Algerians and his legacy will offer a shining example of service to the game and the nation for future generations.
Youcef Bouandel, Professor of Political Sciences, Department of International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University
