The coach of Algeria's U20 national football team, Yassine Maan, sparked widespread controversy in Algeria after slapping some of his players during a friendly match against Tunisia yesterday. Social media users shared a video showing altercations between the Algerian players and their Tunisian counterparts, before the Algerian coach intervened to break up the scuffle, slapping several of his players to calm them and urge them to return to the pitch to continue playing.
While some observers praised the coach's actions, considering it his responsibility to teach players both football skills and sportsmanship, others condemned his behavior as unacceptable and unprofessional in a sports environment. Critics argued that a coach should be a role model for his players and must treat them with respect. Some users even called for the coach’s dismissal, with one commenting on the platform "X": "The FAF (Algerian Football Federation) should terminate this coach's contract. A coach who controls his players through slapping in 2024 is not a nurturing coach."
