Mekhloufi, symbol of Algerian struggle, dies at 88

Rachid Mekhloufi, a star of French football who became a symbol of the Algerian fight for independence, has died aged 88, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Friday.

In 1958, during the Algerian War, the striker quit Ligue 1 champions Saint-Etienne in mid- season to travel to Tunis with other French-based players and found a National Liberation Front (FLN) team.

President Tebboune said he "learned with great sadness the news of the death of the legendary Algerian footballer Rachid Mekhloufi, FLN player, national team coach and former president of the Algerian Football Federation."

Tebboune gave no details of the death. 

Mekhloufi began his career in Algeria before joining Saint-Etienne in 1954. He scored 25 goals to help the club win the French title in 1957 at the age of 20.  

He won a world title in 1957 at the World Military World Championship for France while performing national service.

In April 1958, at the height of the Algerian war, Mekhloufi slipped away to help create a team that symbolised the fight for independence. Mekhloufi, who had four France caps, surrendered the chance to play for Les Bleus at the World Cup in Sweden that summer.

Algeria's APS agency paid tribute to "the glorious FLN team", which had "made the voice of the National Revolution heard throughout the world".

He played briefly for Servette in Geneva. After independence in 1962, he returned to Saint-Etienne, winning further league titles in 1964, 1966 and 1967 and the French Cup in 1967.  

He was named Ligue 1 player of the year three times by France-Foot magazine in 1964, 1966 and 1967.

After playing 40 times for the FLN, he played 10 times for the newly-created Algeria team, which he captained.

He had three stints as Algeria coach in the 1970s and 1980s and in 1988 became president of the national football federation.