Mahrez confirms 2026 World Cup will be his last for Algeria

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has confirmed the 2026 World Cup will be his final international tournament. The 35-year-old stated he will give everything to represent his country in what will be Algeria's fifth World Cup appearance.

Mahrez told reporters: "This will be my last participation in the World Cup. I am not Ronaldo (41 years old)." Addressing criticism about his national team performances compared to his club form, he added: "These criticisms are normal, I am used to dealing with them by focusing on the pitch."

This announcement comes as Algeria currently sits third in their World Cup group with four points from three matches. The team's recent form shows mixed results including a win over the Netherlands, a draw with Austria, and a loss to Switzerland. Fans can track the team's full journey on our results page.

A Storied Career

Mahrez is set for his second World Cup experience after featuring in 2014, bringing unique experience from winning back-to-back Asian Champions League titles with Al-Ahli Saudi. The captain previously led Algeria to African Cup of Nations glory in 2019 in Egypt, where he became the team's all-time top scorer in the competition with eight goals. He also scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Nigeria, being key in the title-winning run.

On a personal level, Mahrez has 38 goals in 109 international appearances, making him Algeria's second-highest scorer behind Islam Slimani. He achieved major club success too, winning the Premier League with Leicester City in the 2015-2016 season where he earned Player of the Season honors, before moving to Manchester City to claim five league titles and the Champions League. Mahrez spent five successful seasons with Manchester City before his move to the Saudi Pro League.

Preparing for What's Next

The Algerian national team now faces the tough task of maintaining their qualifying position as they host Zambia in their next qualifier on September 25. Mahrez hopes to use his decade-plus of experience to help a new generation of players adapt to the pressures of global competition. He said: "There are some fantastic young talents coming through, and I feel it is my duty to help prepare them for the future."

The team prepares for this key encounter which can be followed on our fixtures page, aiming to improve their record of five goals scored and seven conceded so far. Mahrez's international journey will officially conclude at the end of Algeria's 2026 World Cup campaign, regardless of how far the team progresses in the tournament.

This story first appeared at الشرق الأوسط