#3 Algeria

Sunday 13 June – 12.30pm I don’t know about you, but 12.30 on Sunday always feels much more like ‘morning’ than ‘afternoon’ to me. But I have to overcome my natural inertia if I’m going to get round all 32 nations, so I haul myself down to Finsbury Park to watch Algeria take on Slovenia.

Chanting and cheering is audible from several cafes along Blackstock Road, but most are full to the door or beyond. Hidden behind one enormous, billowing Algerian flag, I find one café with enough space for me to squeeze in. Grabbing a mint tea I settle in to enjoy the show.

By “show”, I’m not talking about the football: it’s all about the men – yes, all men – crowded around a small screen in the café’s back room. Expressive and animated, they are a joy to watch. Every half-chance is greeted by an Arabic tirade, arms aloft. Chants of “one two three, vive l’Algerie!” break out. In the excitement, one chap falls over. There’s the sound of breaking glass when one of their best chances goes begging.

Having watched England grind out a draw the previous evening, it’s my most enjoyable experience so far. Yassin, working behind the counter in his green tracksuit, promises me great photos after the game – if Algeria win. After the celebrations when they qualified for the World Cup in November, I can believe him.

But the group’s mood takes a turn for the worse when one of their players is sent off. It gets even more black when Slovenia score, some fans storming out in disgust. A few are good enough to pose for photos outside – but the celebration shots are going to have to wait.

Happily, they don’t have to wait too long for me – as I hop straight on the Victoria Line to Brixton to watch Ghana…