Short answers, pulled from the story.
Algeria joined FIFA on the 1st of January 1964, a year and a half after gaining independence from France in 1962. Prior to that, the FLN football team represented Algeria but was not recognized by FIFA and all its matches were classified as friendlies.
Algeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, first as tournament hosts in 1990 and again in Egypt in 2019. The 2019 title, secured with a 1-0 win over Senegal in the final, made Algeria the second North African side after Egypt to win multiple AFCON trophies.
Algeria beat West Germany 2-1 on the opening day of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, one of the greatest upsets in tournament history. West Germany were the defending European champions at the time. Algeria was ultimately eliminated after West Germany and Austria played a match widely condemned for being deliberately low-paced, with West Germany winning 1-0 through a Horst Hrubesch goal.
Islam Slimani is Algeria's all-time top scorer with 45 goals in 104 international appearances, a career that began in 2012. Riyad Mahrez is second with 38 goals in 113 caps.
Aissa Mandi holds the record for most appearances for Algeria with 116 caps, playing from 2014 onward. Riyad Mahrez is second with 113 appearances.
Algeria qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by topping their qualifying group, winning 8 matches, drawing 1, and losing 1 across 10 games. It is Algeria's fifth World Cup overall, following appearances in 1982, 1986, 2010, and 2014.