Algeria have announced their official squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Borussia Dortmund star Ramy Bensebaini makes the cut after having originally missed out on their preliminary list.
The defender had missed their last few games of the season with an injury and remained a doubt for the World Cup too, which explains why he wasn't on the temporary roster last month.
But now with head coach Vladimir Petković announcing his 27-man squad for the showpiece this month, Bensebaini has been summoned.
The Desert Falcons begin the final leg of their preparations for the World Cup with two friendlies this month, against the Netherlands and Bolivia before officially opening their campaign to world champions Argentina on 16 June.
What happened to Bensebaini?
Ramy Bensebaini sustained an ankle injury during Borussia Dortmund's 4-0 Bundesliga win over Freiburg on 26 April and missed their final three top-flight fixtures.
It plunged his World Cup participation into uncertainty as Algeria dropped him from their preliminary squad last month but Petkovic was perhaps waiting to see if his condition improves.
How was Bensebaini's 2025-26 season?
Bensebaini had a good season with the BVB wherein he was their preferred choice in the centre-back role of Niko Kovac's back-three system.
His positioning was perfect while the Algerian reads the game brilliantly too. Despite only being a defender, Bensebaini scored five goals in 2025-26 season.
No other defender in the Bundesliga besides teammate Nico Schlotterbeck (also 5) struck more. If his goals in the Champions League are to be included too, it's seven for the season for him.
Moreover, Bensebaini also chipped in with three assists, which further demonstrate his attacking qualities.
Following a tough debut campaign in 2023-24, Bensebaini slowly settled to life in Dortmund and has only grown in influence on the side ever since.
What Bensebaini means to Algeria?
As Algeria gear up for their first World Cup appearance since 2014, Ramy Bensebaini headlines a star-studded squad that includes former Manchester City ace Riyad Mahrez too.
With 81 caps to his name, he's among the more experienced names in the side. In fact, only Mahrez (113) and Aissa Mandi (116) have played more times than him in the current squad.
So far, Bensebaini's only prior appearance at a major tournament with Algeria came at the Africa Cup of Nations, playing in five editions including their successful run in 2019 and the most recent one earlier this year.
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