Ramy Bensebaini

Ramy Bensebaini is a defender in Algeria's projected squad for the 2026 World Cup, in contention for Vladimir Petković's group once the final 26 is confirmed. The Borussia Dortmund man is 31 at kick-off and operates at both centre-back and left-back, giving Algeria flexibility across the back line. What marks him out from most defenders is an eye for goal: he scored seven times across all competitions for Dortmund in a recent season despite playing mainly in defence.

With 81 caps to his name, Bensebaini is one of the more experienced names in this squad, having built that tally over years in the national-team back line. His mix of defensive solidity and a goal threat from the left makes him a useful option for a side heading into the tournament.

Bensebaini is a defender who can play at centre-back or left-back, pairing defensive solidity with a goal threat that is unusual for his position. His seven goals across all competitions for Borussia Dortmund came from a player whose main job is at the back, a notable return for a defender.

That versatility is useful for Algeria. He can line up in the centre of a back four or fill in at left-back, giving Petković more than one way to use him while still offering the odd goal from defence.

Ramy Bensebaini gives Algeria a defender who chips in at the other end, with seven goals in a recent all-competitions season for Borussia Dortmund. That comes in a £10m side in Tier 4, the cheapest bracket within the game's £200m card budget. Algeria's Group J pits them against Argentina, Jordan and Austria.

His goals are an added threat rather than the main source of an Algeria slot's payoff, which still rests on the forwards; what he brings is the rare goal from a centre-half on top of his defensive work.