Riyad Mahrez: The silent leader in the Algerian dressing room

Amid the intensity, pressure and constant demands that have defined the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, control, precision and restraint have emerged as essential qualities for teams aspiring to stand out.

At 33, Riyad Mahrez embodies each of these attributes — the same principles that have shaped his career over the years. He has become the calming presence Algeria have leaned on heavily, as the Fennecs quietly and efficiently went about their business during the group stage.

Three wins from three matches, three goals for the captain, and top spot in Group E with a perfect record — exactly the response Algeria needed after failing to replicate such a run in the editions that followed their 2019 triumph.

Yet, even in success, Mahrez and his teammates have chosen restraint over celebration.

“I don’t think we can talk about favourites,” Mahrez says calmly.

For the Algerian skipper, a successful group phase is merely the opening chapter. The real examination begins now — knockout football: unforgiving, decisive, and historically challenging for Algeria in recent years.

Quiet authority at the heart of the team

Mahrez leads not through noise, but example. On and off the pitch, he represents the calm Algeria have long been yearning for.

“We try to help the younger players,” he explains simply.

This Algerian squad blends experience with youthful energy — seasoned campaigners alongside an ambitious, sometimes impatient, emerging generation. Mahrez’s role is to guide without stifling individual qualities.

“They are mature for their age. They understand the responsibility of playing for a country,” he says of the new faces in the squad.

The message has been clear from the onset: talent alone is never enough. The jersey demands discipline, commitment and accountability.

Mahrez also highlights the collective work done by the technical staff, praising a unified group dynamic where everyone pulls in the same direction. A more compact, cohesive Algeria, less dependent on moments of individual brilliance than in the past.

Passing on responsibility, not dependence

With younger players, Mahrez avoids the role of an overbearing mentor. He advises, but allows each player to carve out their own path.

“In the end, it’s up to them,” he says. It is a philosophy shaped by experience; learning through adversity, growing through difficult moments.

Among those symbolising Algeria’s future is Ibrahim Maza, whom the captain praises while keeping expectations firmly grounded.

“He has everything to become a top player. But he has to stay focused and keep working.”

Talent is acknowledged. Potential is recognised. But consistency, Mahrez insists, remains the true benchmark. The same message applies to Haj Moussa, Chaïbi, Abdelli and Amoura — a promising generation still in the early stages of its development.

“Potential alone is not always enough,” he adds, a statement that reflects both his career and his current leadership role.

A serious test awaits in Rabat

So far, everything appears under control. But Mahrez harbours no illusions.

Difficult moments, he believes, are inevitable, and they could arrive as early as Tuesday, when Algeria face DR Congo in the Round of 16 at the Stade Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.

The Fennecs will come up against a solid opponent riding a positive momentum built over several months. Mahrez does not claim to know everything about the Leopards. He observes, analyses and prepares, fully aware that beyond the group stage, every match is a final in disguise.

“We have to raise our level and show that we can reach the quarter-finals,” he affirms.

On a personal level, Mahrez remains true to himself. Lucid and never fully satisfied.

“I feel good, but I can still improve my impact,” he notes.

At this stage of his career, the former English Premier League champion with Leicester City and Manchester City is no longer chasing spectacle. He values efficiency, rhythm and influence at decisive moments.

As for the idea of a third star on Algeria’s jersey, it is deliberately pushed into the background. The focus remains firmly on the next match. Always.

“It would be incredible, of course. But I’m not thinking about that yet,” Mahrez says.

Moving forward with quiet conviction, Riyad Mahrez embodies a simple truth: in a tournament where overconfidence is swiftly punished, Algeria may have found in their captain the perfect balance between ambition and humility.