Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has announced his retirement from international football following his country’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 35-year-old confirmed his decision after the match, bringing an end to a distinguished 12-year international career during which he earned 120 caps and scored 40 […]
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Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has announced his retirement from international football following his country’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 35-year-old confirmed his decision after the match, bringing an end to a distinguished 12-year international career during which he earned 120 caps and scored 40 goals for the Desert Foxes.
Mahrez retires as Algeria’s second-most capped player, behind Aïssa Mandi’s 123 appearances, and second on the country’s all-time goalscoring list, trailing only Islam Slimani, who scored 49 goals.
One of the highlights of his international career came in 2019 when he captained Algeria to victory at the Africa Cup of Nations. He scored a dramatic stoppage-time free-kick against Nigeria in the semi-finals before leading the Desert Foxes to a final victory over Senegal, securing Algeria’s first continental title since 1990.
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