The Lebanese Football Association’s decision to change the men’s national team coach, Miodrag Radulovic, was not just a routine procedure, but rather seemed like a necessary response after the results deteriorated to the point of raising fundamental questions about the team’s future, and not just questions about a specific match. The dismissal became official on “January 22, 2026” after a “review” of performance and preparations for the upcoming competitions, and it was later announced that the Algerian “Majid Bougherra” had been appointed as the new coach.
The strange thing is that the Lebanese national team does not suffer from a lack of “name” as much as it suffers from a lack of “style.” When painful defeats continue, the public does not focus on changing a player or a match plan, but rather on the ultimate goal. What does the national team want to be: a team that defends only to survive? A team pressing to seize the initiative? Or a team that relies on reactions and set pieces?
The selection of “Madjid Bougherra” carries a “different” meaning from contracts that aim only to contain crises. He is a coach with experience in national teams and short tournaments, and he led the local Algerian national team to win the 2021 Arab Cup, before resigning after failing to maintain the title. But what is most important is not his professional history, but rather what Lebanon needs now: a coach capable of laying down simple and quickly applied foundations, because time does not allow for long experiences. The new coach will face challenges known in Lebanese football, such as the limited preparation period, the instability of players in their clubs, and the constant need to find a “playing system” that can be applied even when players change.
The decisive stop for the team under the leadership of the new coach is the match against Yemen on “March 31, 2026” in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, as Lebanon needs a draw to ensure qualification to the finals in Saudi Arabia. In other words, Bougherra begins his mission under pressure to achieve a “result” and not in an environment that allows for gradual construction.
Therefore, the next match is more like a very difficult psychological test, and not just a point that Lebanon needs, because the team will play knowing that any stumble will open the door to doubts again, and that failure will not be considered just a passing stumble, but rather evidence that the problem is deeper than just the coach’s name.
