France, Algeria and sport: From colonisation to globalisation

This article offers an overview of the history of sporting relations between France and Algeria from the colonial period to the present, with particular reference to association football or 'soccer'. Simultaneously local and global, this most 'mediatised' of modern games is discussed as a privileged site for cultural and political exchanges between the two nations. Attention is focused on the contribution made by football to Algeria's struggle for independence, and the subsequent efforts by the new Algerian state to exploit the game's potential for internal legitimisation and external recognition. Central to the discussion are a number of iconic Algerian footballers, including Rachid Mekloufi and Rabah Madjer, together with the outstanding French player of Algerian descent, Zinedine Zidane. In conclusion, the social and political lessons of the home side's victory in the France '98 World Cup are considered, as are those of the problematic France-Algeria 'friendly' match of 6 October 2001.