Dortmund star prefers representing Algeria over Germany

Young defender Ilyes Benkarra, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in Germany, has decided to represent Algeria internationally instead of Germany. The 18-year-old, who joined Dortmund from Mainz in 2021, made his decision after talks with the Algerian Football Federation last August . Benkarra progressed through Dortmund's under-17 and under-19 teams and currently plays for the club's reserve team, having made a brief appearance in the Regionalliga West this season. Although he has previously represented Germany at the under-15 and under-17 levels, he opted to join the "Desert Foxes" due to the difficulty of securing a place in the German senior national team . Benkarra is expected to make his international debut soon, with reports suggesting he could participate in the upcoming November camp, which includes Algeria's matches against Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia . The young defender's contract with Borussia Dortmund runs until 2026, but his future with the club remains uncertain.