Qatari club Al Sadd announced in an official statement that Youcef Atal suffered a torn Achilles tendon and underwent surgery.
The Al Sadd statement did not specify the duration of the right-back’s absence, but it is widely believed he will need at least a year to recover.
This effectively ends Atal’s hopes of representing Algeria at the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off in less than five months in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Atal participated with the Desert Warriors in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, mostly as a substitute, except for the group stage match against Equatorial Guinea.
In total, the 29-year-old Atal has made 54 international appearances for Algeria, scoring two goals and providing nine assists.
It is worth noting that the World Cup draw placed Algeria in the same group as the defending champions, Argentina, as well as Jordan and Austria.
