Algeria 4

 

Unknown Player
vs. Senegal (3:2) | World Cup Qualifier | 2008 in Algeria

This shirt is a bit funny. I got this from a seller who got it straight from Antar Yahia, the player that scored the decisive goal to send Algeria to the World Cup in 2010. And that 2010 qualifier was intense! Algeria was in a group with arch-rivals Egypt and while the first match between the two, in Algeria, went ahead relatively calm, the group situation tensed up the second match. Egypt had to win the match with at least a difference of two goals to somehow get to the World Cup. Violence broke out in all of Cairo, but also in France, where fans clashed violently. It was an absolute mayhem and at least 35 fans got seriously injured surrounding that final group match. Even worse, Egypt won 2:0. Exactly 2:0. That meant that the two were tied on points, goal difference and in direct matches and CAF and FIFA decided to make things worse and order a playoff match between the two to be played. That one couldn't happen in either country, for safety reasons, and thus was given to Sudan. Omdurman, the city the match took place in, basically went on lockdown on matchday: School and public offices closed early and citizens were warned to not get anywhere close to the stadium. Antar Yahia scored on that day, the only goal, to sent Algeria to the first World Cup in Africa.

Now this shirt is signed by Antar Yahia. He also scribbled the date of that Sudan match on the shirt and added "Günter, Herzlichst" in German, which means "Günther, by heart". Yet, this shirt cannot be from that match. They had an additional third badge on the shirt for it and Yahia wore #2. I still think it is a matchworn shirt that Yahia gave to a Bochum fan, the club he played at back then, but it must be from some other match. Still a great memory to a very memorable and unique day in world football.