Amin Chiakha has set his sights on becoming Algeria’s all-time leading scorer despite having yet to score in his three appearances for the national team.
The 20-year-old Rosenborg striker made the ambitious declaration on Tuesday at the Sidi Moussa training centre.
“I want to go far with Algeria, score a lot of goals and become the top scorer in the history of the national team,” Chiakha said.
Chiakha’s target is Islam Slimani’s record of 46 goals, with Abdelhafid Tasfaout second on 36. Reaching that mark would require a remarkable career, given that Slimani spent almost a decade establishing himself at the top, winning more than 100 caps and scoring important goals at both the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.
Chiakha is only at the beginning of his international career, but this is not the first time he has spoken openly about trying to surpass Slimani’s total.
His confidence contrasts with the quiet and unassuming impression he has generally made so far. The forward accepted his omission from Algeria’s 2026 World Cup squad without public complaint, before making his case through his performances for Rosenborg.
He has scored 13 league goals for the Norwegian club, including nine in his past 10 matches, and is currently top of the scoring charts in Norway. That run earned him a place in Brahim Hemdani’s latest Algeria squad.
There is also a clear opportunity for Chiakha to turn his ambitions into action during the current international gathering. Hemdani has limited established options at centre-forward, with Monsef Bakrar the main specialist competing for the position. Amine Gouiri and Mohamed Amoura can also play through the middle.
Chiakha is therefore expected to feature during the camp and could make his first competitive start for Algeria when they face Zambia on Friday.
A two-goal display would echo Mohamed Amoura’s first competitive start for the Fennecs. Amoura scored twice against Uganda in 2023 on that occasion.
There is also a precedent further back in Algeria’s history. Ali Mecabih scored twice against Sierra Leone at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in his first appearance in a match carrying competitive significance.
A brace against Zambia would provide an immediate indication of Chiakha’s potential, although his first priority is more basic: scoring his first goal for Algeria.
Only then can the Rosenborg forward begin the long pursuit of Slimani’s 46-goal record.