Unconscious Dynamics and Collective Symbolism in Elite Football: A Psycho-Hermeneutic Analysis of Victory and Defeat in the Algerian National Team at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025

Abstract

This research aims to analyze competitive sports from a psycho-interpretive perspective, by studying the unconscious and symbolic dynamics that govern individual and collective psychological responses in both victory and defeat. The research stems from the premise that technical explanations of athletic performance remain inadequate to encompass the intense emotions and profound psychological transformations experienced by players, coaches, and spectators during major competitions, particularly in the context of football as a highly symbolic social phenomenon.
The research concluded that a sporting event is not merely a competitive dimension but represents an intense collective psychological experience reflecting identity conflicts, the need for recognition, and the tension between self and other. It also emphasized the importance of the interpretive analytical approach in studying sports phenomena, given its ability to uncover the deep psychological meanings underlying athletic behavior. This opens new avenues for integrating psychoanalysis into sports science and fostering a deeper understanding of the dynamics of athletic competition.