In 1958, in the midst of the Algerian War and two months before the World Cup, the French Football Federation (FFF) discovered on April 15th that nine of its players of Algerian origin had secretly left France to join the headquarters of the National Liberation Front (FLN) in Tunis, where the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (GPRA) was based. They chose to leave everything behind—careers, fame, money—to support the FLN cause: the independence of the Algerian people. Their daring escape was worthy of a thriller and made headlines across the international press. For four years, the FLN team toured the world and became the standard-bearer for a people. FIFA refused to recognize the team and threatened federations that played against it with sanctions. Nevertheless, the team made a lasting impression with 57 wins, 14 draws, and 12 losses in 83 matches. Ferhat Abbas, president of the GPRA, told them, "You have gained ten years for the cause of independent Algeria."
Made in FR
10/10
2016
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Cast
Mohamed Boumezrag
As Self (archive footage)
Rachid Mekhloufi
As Self
Mustapha Zitouni
As Self (archive footage)
Abdelaziz Ben Tifour
As Self (archive footage)
Kaddour Bekhloufi
As Self (archive footage)
Abderrahmane Boubekeur
As Self (archive footage)
Abdelhamid Kermali
As Self (archive footage)
Abdelhamid Bouchouk
As Self (archive footage)
Amar Rouaï
As Self (archive footage)
Saïd Brahimi
As Self (archive footage)
Just Fontaine
As Self
Redha
As Self
Karim Rouaï
As Self
Malik Zitouni
As Self
Michel Naït-Challal
As Self
Kader Abderrahim
As Self
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