Mahrez praises Ibrahim Maza and believes in Algeria's new generation

Riyad Mahrez has sent a strong message of encouragement to Algeria’s new generation, particularly praising Ibrahim Maza, the attacking midfielder at Bayer Leverkusen, whom he considers one of the great hopes of Algerian football.

Questioned in the mixed zone on Saturday, on the sidelines of the ninth matchday of the Qatari championship, the Al-Shamal player spoke about the 20-year-old Berlin-born talent, who had just finished ninth in the Kopa Trophy rankings, awarded to the best player under 21 of the season.

“I was really happy for him. He deserves it, this is just the beginning for him. He’s a great guy, he has a very good mentality, he’s still very young. What I like is that he works a lot despite his young age, with a lot of humility. That’s the only way he’ll reach the top. I hope he has a great career,” said the former Fennecs captain, who earned 119 caps and scored 40 goals for Algeria.

When asked about possible similarities between Maza’s path and his own early career, Mahrez preferred to highlight the player’s work while broadening his remarks to the entire next generation of the national team. “Everyone has their own path, but what he’s doing is magnificent. And it’s not just him. Of course, since he’s still very young, he’s already showing great maturity. But the others too, there are many of them and I wish them all the best. I hope they continue to progress at their clubs and of course with Algeria.”

Withdrawn from the national team since the Fennecs’ elimination in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Mahrez remains an attentive and benevolent observer of those who have succeeded him in the green shirt.