The 23-year-old, who was born in France and represented the country at various youth levels, has been in talks with the Algerian Federation and national coach Djamel Belmadi since the beginning of the year before finally taking his decision.

“I proudly announce my decision of joining the Algerian national team. I will defend with my body and soul the Fennecs jersey to carry the colors of our country high and help write the next pages of its rich history.” he wrote on his X account on Tuesday.

Gouiri, who joined Rennes from Nice in 2022, scored 15 goals in 36 games in Ligue 1 last season. He is eligible to play for Algeria through his parents’ origin.

Gouiri also thanked France for his time with the national teams, saying “My years with the French team will remain engraved in me.”.

“Thank you for everything. The time has come to start a new chapter,” he added.

Gouiri follows the footsteps of other former French youth internationals such as Houssem Aouar and Rayan Ait-Nouri, who have recently opted to play for Algeria.

Avec fierté, je vous annonce ma décision de rejoindre la sélection algérienne 🇩🇿

Je défendrai corps et âme le maillot des Fennecs pour porter haut les couleurs de notre pays et contribuer à écrire les prochaines pages de sa riche histoire. (1/1) pic.twitter.com/yIKLWWx7I5

— Amine Gouiri (@aminegouiri) September 26, 2023

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