As the World Cup signals what may be the final international chapter of one of football's greats of the 21st century, it is only right that we give Riyad Mahrez his flowers. Mahrez has publicly stated that he is "not Ronaldo," hinting that this World Cup could be his last on the international stage at the age of 35. SceneSports looks back at the career of the Algerian hero.
A five-time Premier League champion, UEFA Champions League winner, first African to the win PFA’s Player of the Year, 2019 African Player of the Year, and the captain that brought the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy back to Algeria for the first time in 30 years, Mahrez's legacy is already secure. Beyond football, later projects such as his own reality show and a stadium named in his honour at his hometown club have further cemented his place as a symbol of perseverance, personality, and hope for both Arab and African communities.
Riyad Karim Mahrez was born in Sarcelles, France to Algerian parents. Raised in a small French town while maintaining strong ties to his Algerian heritage, Mahrez embodied the experience of many Arabs growing up in Europe, dreaming of making it at the highest level. He grew up admiring French-Algerian icon Zinedine Zidane and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.
Mahrez began his footballing journey at youth club AAS Sarcelles, located in the northern suburbs of Paris. In 2009, a life-changing opportunity arrived during a friendly match involving Quimper FC, where he was spotted by scouts and given the chance to launch his professional career.
Mahrez later revealed to Manchester City media that he almost missed the opportunity entirely because of the distance and cost involved.
"Too far. Too expensive." Fortunately, he made the trip.
After spending a season with Quimper FC in the Championnat de France Amateur, Mahrez attracted the attention of Ligue 1 side Le Havre and joined the club on a free transfer in 2010. Initially playing for Le Havre's reserve team, he eventually broke into the first team and began establishing himself as a promising talent.
Two years later, the real magic began.
English Championship side Leicester City came calling, and what followed was something no scriptwriter could have predicted. Mahrez later admitted that when he first heard of Leicester City, he thought they were a rugby team, confusing them with Leicester Tigers.
Joining Leicester in January 2014 during their promotion push, Mahrez helped secure promotion to the Premier League. Around the same time, he received his first call-up to the Algerian national team and represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Leicester's first season back in the Premier League was a struggle. Relegation seemed inevitable for much of the campaign, and even some of Mahrez's Algerian teammates doubted their chances of survival. Yet an incredible run in the final nine matches of the season kept the Foxes alive, finishing 14th that seaosn.
That survival would set the stage for one of the greatest stories in football history.
The 2015-16 Premier League season transformed Leicester City from relegation candidates into an unstoppable force. Players once considered average Premier League talents became household names and club legends. Mahrez dazzled on the wing, N'Golo Kanté dominated midfield, Kasper Schmeichel provided security in goal, and Jamie Vardy terrorized defenders up front.
What followed was something nobody expected.
Leicester City, a team that had barely survived the previous season, overcame 5,000-to-1 odds to win the Premier League title. It remains one of the most remarkable achievements in sporting history.
Mahrez was at the heart of it all, scoring 17 goals and providing 11 assists. Anyone watching could see he was special, and so was the team around him. Leicester even followed up their title-winning campaign by reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in their first-ever appearance in the competition.
His performances earned him the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 2016, making him the first African player ever to receive the honour.
The Foxes became immortalised as the club that achieved the impossible, creating what can only be described as real-life football poetry and forever honouring the legacy of their beloved late owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
In 2018, Manchester City and Pep Guardiola came calling.
A player signed by Leicester for just £450,000 was sold for £60 million-plus and joined one of Europe's most dominant sides. At Manchester City, Mahrez added another chapter to his remarkable story, winning four Premier League titles during his five-year stay and playing a key role in City's historic 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, which culminated in UEFA Champions League glory. From the day he arrived to the day he departed, Mahrez became one of those players whose face is permanently attached to an era of success.
His achievements were not limited to club football.
In 2019, Mahrez captained Algeria to AFCON glory, helping secure the nation's first continental title since 1990. Algeria defeated Senegal 1-0 in the final, with Mahrez serving as both leader and inspiration throughout the tournament.
Like many elite players entering their thirties in the modern era, Mahrez eventually made the move to Saudi Arabia, joining Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ahli in 2023. His current contract runs until 2027, where he continues to showcase the quality that defined his career.
Off the pitch, Mahrez has remained deeply connected to his roots. In 2022, he inaugurated the Stade de Riyad Mahrez in his hometown of Sarcelles, dedicating the stadium to his late father while reflecting on the memories of growing up near the ground. Mahrez also expanded his profile into entertainment. He appeared in the reality series 'Married to the Game', which followed footballers, their WAGs (wives and girlfriends), and their families, offering a glimpse into life beyond the pitch. The show ran for two seasons and featured several other prominent players, including İlkay Gündoğan, Gabriel Magalhães, Jorginho, and Marc Cucurella.
As we prepare for what could be Mahrez's international swan song and the closing chapters of one of Africa's finest football careers, it is worth reflecting on what he truly represents.
Mahrez did more than win trophies.
He helped put Algeria back on the footballing map. He inspired a generation of Arab and African players. He proved that talent can emerge from unlikely places, that dreams can survive difficult beginnings, and that perseverance can overcome every obstacle.
For millions, Riyad Mahrez represents something far deeper than football itself.
He is the embodiment of immigrant resilience.