Khaberni - After leading his national team to the 2026 World Cup Finals, Riyad Mahrez, the captain of the Algerian national team, created a sensational surprise related to his international future, where he announced that the upcoming tournament will be his last in his career, as reported by the French site "Onze Mondial".
The announcement by the star of Al-Ahly Saudi came amid the celebrations of the "Desert Warriors" officially qualifying for the World Cup, after Mahrez had been one of the key players in this achievement with his goalscoring and playmaking, and his exemplary leadership of the team.
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In a simple statement that carries significant implications, Mahrez (34) disclosed to the Algerian media, according to the French source: "This will be my last World Cup.. I am not Cristiano Ronaldo".
Mahrez, who is aware that time passes quickly, clarified that he does not intend to emulate the careers of exceptional stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is preparing to play his sixth World Cup at the age of 41.
The Algerian captain added determinedly: "I will do everything I can to represent Algeria in the best possible way", affirming his intention to end his international career with a "great adventure" on the world’s biggest football stage.
The 2026 World Cup is particularly significant for Mahrez, who participated in the 2014 edition only for limited minutes while playing in the English second division, while "the Greens" missed the 2018 and 2022 editions. Thus, Mahrez gets an opportunity to conclude his international career by shining on the global stage he has long awaited.
