Algeria started the 2026 FIFA World Cup against defending champions Argentina at the Kansas City Stadium on Wednesday.
However, one of the big names missing from the starting XI was Riyad Mahrez, the former Premier League winner with Leicester City and Manchester City.
Mahrez, who won the African Cup of Nations with the team in 2019, is one of the longest-serving players in the squad.
Why doesn’t Riyad Mahrez start in Argentina versus Algeria?
Riyad Mahrez remains match fit and is among the substitutes, and his not starting comes as a natural surprise.
However, a possible reason for his exclusion could be that coach Vladimir Petković prefers a younger winger over the 35-year-old. Anis Hadj Moussa, 24, has replaced the former Man City winger on the left flank.
He will have Ibrahim Maza and Amine Gouiri complete the front three for Algeria.
Published on June 17, 2026
