Algeria’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Austria in their final 2026 World Cup group-stage match was not just a football spectacle; it also witnessed two historic milestones regarding the youngest and oldest World Cup goalscorers in the nation’s history.
Rafik Belghali Becomes Algeria’s Youngest World Cup Scorer Since 1982
The Fennecs’ goal-scoring opened with 24-year-old Rafik Belghali, who found the net in the 45th minute. With this strike, the defender became the youngest player to score a World Cup goal for Algeria in the 21st century, and the youngest overall since legendary Salah Assad (23 years old) at the 1982 World Cup.
Riyad Mahrez Shatters Records: Oldest Scorer and All-Time Legend
Following Belghali’s equalizer, Al-Ahli superstar Riyad Mahrez stole the headlines by netting a brilliant brace. At 35 years and 4 months old, Mahrez officially became the oldest player to ever score for Algeria in a World Cup, comfortably surpassing Djamel Zidane, who scored at the 1986 edition at the age of 31.
Furthermore, Mahrez’s double unlocked several unprecedented achievements:
-
Major Tournaments Pioneer: He is the first Algerian player to reach 11 goals in major tournaments (9 in the Africa Cup of Nations and 2 in the World Cup).
-
Joint-Top World Cup Scorer: He has now tied Islam Slimani, Salah Assad, and Abdelmoumene Djabou as Algeria’s all-time top scorer in World Cup history (2 goals), with a golden opportunity to claim the record outright against Switzerland in the Round of 32.
-
Chasing Slimani’s Ultimate Record: Mahrez has now elevated his international tally to 37 goals, sitting just 9 goals behind Islam Slimani (46 goals) to become Algeria’s absolute all-time top scorer across all competitions.
