Absent from the last gathering of the “Fennecs,” captain Riyad Mahrez is set to make his grand return to the Algerian national team starting from the next international break.
Unless there’s a spectacular turnaround, the former Manchester City player will reclaim his cherished right flank starting September next.
This marks an excellent reinforcement for the double African Cup of Nations winner ahead of the qualifiers for the upcoming edition of the tournament set to take place in Morocco in early 2026. According to Walid Sadi, the president of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), a meeting is scheduled in the coming days between Riyad Mahrez and the new coach, Vladimir Petkovic, to clarify matters.
“There’s no issue with Riyad Mahrez; the situation has simply been blown out of proportion. I’ve spoken with the coach (Petkovic) since our arrival in Uganda, and he assured me he would meet Mahrez in the coming days to clear up this matter. It’s even possible that Mahrez will return to the national team during the next training camp in September,” stated the FAF chief following the victory over Uganda (2-1).
Riyad Mahrez’s record with the “Fennecs”
The powerhouse from Al-Ahly of Saudi Arabia joined the Algerian national team in 2014, precisely before the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In 93 appearances for the “Greens,” he has scored 31 goals while providing 40 assists.
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