The FLN linked African football to anti-colonial resistance using the idea of Pan-Africanism as a legitimizing tool and symbol of national identity.

The role of this team was primarily psychological, in order to show the French metropolitans that even professional footballers were involved in the cause, even to the extent of renouncing their status.

The departure of the ten players made news all around the world through mainstream media, though their successes were not acknowledged particularly in the United States.

Despite the prohibition on play, the FLN team engaged in a world tour of about eighty meetings, including Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa.

The overall idea of a national team in exile had its origins in the politicization of football, with the intention to create an arena for the anti-colonial resistance and road to liberation during the war of independence against France.

A year before the formation of the FLN team, two former Algerian players and coaches decided to train in Tunis, the first selection that would represent Algeria, they are Ahmed Benelfoul and Habib Draoua.

This system gave players a great amount of flexibility in movement while playing a football game, which proved to be very effective.