00:05In January 2014, Riyad Mahrez was a 23-year-old Frenchman plying his trade in Ligue 2 Folle Havre.
00:15By the end of the year, the dazzling right-winger with extraordinary technical ability had represented Algeria at the World
00:23Cup
00:23and helped Leicester City gain promotion to the English Premier League.
00:29By May 2016, he was one of the most unlikely Premier League champions in history
00:36and named the best footballer in England by his peers.
00:43Mahrez's successes also saw him named the best player in Africa by the Confederation of African Football.
00:51I want to thank everyone who came today for this award.
00:56And it's a huge honour to receive this award.
01:02I'm very happy, I'm very pleased.
01:03I want to thank all my teammates from Leicester and from Algeria, my managers and my president of the Federation
01:15as well.
01:17And I want to dedicate to my family and all the Africans, of course Algerians as well.
01:27And all the people who support me every day. I want Africa and I want the world. Thank you.
01:34The big money move to Manchester City soon followed, where Mahrez contributed enormously to one of the most golden eras
01:41in the history of club football,
01:43lifting four further Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 2023 UEFA Champions League.
01:55Mahrez is now an icon for Algeria, but his international career got off to a rocky start.
02:01Born and raised in France with an Algerian father and Moroccan-Algerian mother,
02:06the local media were initially critical of his inclusion
02:09and alleged that he had paid manager Vahid Halihodzic for a place in the 2014 World Cup squad.
02:22It wasn't until 2019 and the Fenix successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign that Mahrez played his way into his
02:30nation's heart.
02:32As captain, he led Algeria to only their second AFCON title, scoring a decisive free kick in the semi-final
02:39against Nigeria.
02:44Getting to the heart of it, we're African champions after 29 years.
02:49It's unbelievable, especially to be AFCON champions away from our own country.
02:55The last time we won was in Algeria. African champions away is extraordinary.
03:03Mahrez has continued to captain his country, passing 100 international caps along the way.
03:08As Algeria returned to the game's greatest stage for the first time in 12 years.
03:17Mahrez will travel to North America aged 35 and closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
03:23But he still plays with the fearlessness of youth and has a new lease of life after joining Al-Akhli
03:29in the Saudi Pro League.
03:34And true to form, he starred for his new side en route to their maiden AFC Champions League title in
03:402025.
03:43It's really important and different feeling to play for the national team.
03:50Whether I play in Europe or now I play in Middle East in a new challenging league.
04:01But of course, compared to the Premier League, it's a bit different.
04:08But I'm still young and I still feel very good.
04:15And ready and a lot of, how can I say, a lot of motivation to help my country to try
04:27to arrive in the best possible conditions for the big tournament and the big games.
04:37After a decade at the pinnacle of football for club and country, the 2026 World Cup may well be the
04:44final opportunity to celebrate Riyad Mahrez, one of the best and most unlikely superstars of the 21st century.
04:52I'll be right back.
04:53I'll be right back.
