1982 FIFA World Cup Spain
Group 2: West Germany vs Algeria
S1 • E7 Jun 16, 1982
The match between West Germany and Algeria took place on June 16, 1982, at the El Molinón Stadium in Gijón, as the opening match of Group 2 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. West Germany, the tournament favorites, faced Algeria and suffered a surprising 1-2 defeat. This match also marked Algeria's entry into the competition's history. A certain arrogance has taken hold on the German side, with statements aimed at humiliating the Algerian players before the match, reflecting a lack of appreciation for Arab and African football and for teams from the Global South. For the Algerians, incomprehension reigns following these German pronouncements describing the Algerian team as insignificant and promising that it would be crushed by the German machine. After the match, the international press was stunned by the outcome. West Germany, the dominant force in European football and reigning European champions, became the first European team to lose to an African side in the World Cup. In Algeria, euphoria reigned, almost forgetting that the Algerian national team still had two matches to play before the end of the first round.