Riyad Mahrez confirmed that participating in the 2026 World Cup will be his last for the Algerian national team, noting that he respects his advancing age and his country’s need for renewal after the end of the tournament, which is scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Algeria finally returned to the World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018 and 2022, thanks to a 3-0 victory over Somalia in the ninth round. Mahrez was part of this historic victory for coach Vladimir Petkovic’s team.
After qualifying, Mahrez was asked about the future of his international career and whether he planned to continue after the 2026 World Cup. He replied, “Brother, I’m not Cristiano Ronaldo!”
Mahrez is 34 years old, and despite his great abilities, he believes he can’t offer much more, unlike Ronaldo, whose international career has spanned from the age of 18 in 2004 to the age of 40.
Mahrez has made 105 international appearances for Algeria since his debut in May 2014, scoring 33 goals and providing 43 assists. He also won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Mahrez’s participation in the 2026 World Cup will not be his first with Algeria, as he previously participated in the 2014 edition in Brazil, playing 72 minutes as the Desert Warriors reached the Round of 16 and were eliminated by Germany.
