Rayane Yesli Called up to Replace Abdellatif Ramdane in Algeria Squad

Rayane Yesli has received his first senior call-up to the Algeria national football team after national coach Brahim Hemdani named the 27-year-old goalkeeper as a late replacement for the November international window, tsa-algerie.com reported.

Algeria faces Togo in a double-header on November 14 in Tizi Ouzou and November 17 in Lomé for the third and fourth rounds of the tournament qualifiers, DzBallon reported.

The roster adjustment became necessary after MC Alger goalkeeper Abdellatif Ramdane suffered a family bereavement just as the national team gathering commenced. The player’s father passed away over the weekend, prompting the coaching staff to excuse him from national duty.

Abdellatif Ramdane had learned of his father’s passing during a league fixture between JS El Biar and MC Alger at the Dar el Beida stadium, where he left the pitch in tears, according to tsa-algerie.com. The Fédération Algérienne de Football confirmed his release in an official statement, extending condolences to the player and his family.

To fill the vacancy, Brahim Hemdani signed Olympique Akbou goalkeeper Rayane Yesli, a first for the 27-year-old dual-national. Standing at 2.03 meters tall, the Montreal native arrived in the Algerian Ligue 1 Mobilis in January 2026 from Canadian side HFX Wanderers, DZfoot reported.

DzBallon noted that Yesli maintained a strong start to the club season with Olympique Akbou, recording five clean sheets while conceding six goals across eight matches. Prior to his move to Algeria, his career path included stints with Valour FC, AS Blainville, and Atlético Ottawa in Canada, alongside a spell with Italian Serie D side Vibonese where he began professionally in 2018.

The inclusion of Rayane Yesli sparked considerable discussion across sports media regarding the national team selection hierarchy, particularly concerning CD Leganés goalkeeper Luca Zidane. La Gazette du Fennec reported that Zidane, who started for Algeria at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was omitted from the squad despite accumulating 874 minutes of playing time in Spain’s Segunda División compared to Yesli’s 720 minutes in Algeria.

Coach Brahim Hemdani defended his selection criteria in a prior press conference, stating that he based his decisions strictly on sporting criteria and recent playing time among available candidates. Yesli joins Oussama Benbot and Melvin Mastil to complete the three-goalkeeper roster for the upcoming fixtures.

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