Bougherra - Lions have no heart

Bougherra: Heart jibe

Madjid Bougherra insists Algeria can beat England in next summer's World Cup finals - because they play with heart.

The two countries have been paired in Group C along with the USA and Slovenia.

Fabio Capello's side are set to face the North Africans on Friday 18th June in Cape Town, with England overwhelming favourites to take three points from the game.

But Bougherra has no fears concerning the contest because, he claims, the English do not play with heart as the Algerians do.

The Rangers centre-back, who also played in the English top-flight with Charlton in the 2006/07 campaign, told the Sunday Mirror: "I've played in Britain quite a while, so I can claim to know English football well.

Stronger skills-wise

"England may be better than us in physical and tactical terms with Fabio Capello as their coach, but we are stronger than them skills-wise.

"We also possess a quality they don't have - we play with heart.

"So on a good day we can really beat them. And even if we can't mange to do that we won't be embarrassed, believe me."