BAGHDAD BOUNEDJAH - 37 GAMES UNBEATEN
Baghdad Bounedjah ends his 37-game unbeaten streak in National Team
Algeria's sensational 0-1 loss to Equatorial Guinea in the African Cup of Nations yesterday ended their long unbeaten streak. It contained 26 official matches, taking into account those that were played in the African Championship of Nations and the Arab Cup, recognized by FIFA despite the absence of the European-based players in these tournaments (from an alternative count that does not include these tournaments, the series was even longer, 35 matches).
At the same time, Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah's personal unbeaten streak ended at the mark of 37 games. He has lost with the national team for the first time since 16 October 2018 (0-1 vs Benin).
Bounedjah's feat became the 5th longest personal unbeaten series in the history of football.
The world record in this category was long held by Garrincha who was unbeaten in his first 49 matches for Brazil, from 1955 to 1966. He lost only in the 50th (vs Hungary 1-3 at the World Cup 1966) which was his last in the national team.
Only in May 2010, Garrincha's record was beaten by the Spanish defender Carlos Marchena who eventually brought it to 57 matches.
| ALL-TIME LONGEST | PLAYERS' | UNBEATEN SERIES | IN NATIONAL TEAMS | ||
| Player | National team | Games | First game | Last game | |
| 1 | Carlos Marchena | Spain | 57 | 11.06.2003 Northern Ireland 0-0 | 03.09.2010 Liechtenstein 4-0 |
| 2 | Garrincha | Brazil | 49 | 18.09.1955 Chile 1-1 | 12.07.1966 Bulgaria 2-0 |
| 3 | Zinedine Zidane | France | 39 | 11.06.1997 Italy 2-2 | 24.03.2001 Japan 5-0 |
| 4 | Xavi | Spain | 38 | 01.09.2001 Austria 4-0 | 23.06.2006 Saudi Arabia 1-0 |
| 5 | Baghdad Bounedjah | Algeria | 37 | 18.11.2018 Togo 4-1 | 11.01.2022 Sierra Leone 0-0 |
| 6 | Romario | Brazil | 35 | 07.07.1988 Australia 1-0 | 30.04.1997 Mexico 4-0 |