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Mahrez Riyad. Author Clément Bucco-Lechat.

Top 10 Algerian Football (Soccer) Players of All Time

The North African team has qualified for four World Cups in 1982, 1986, 2010 and 2014. They have also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, 1990 as hosts, and again in Egypt in 2019. Other accolades include the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, champions of the 1991 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations, the men’s football tournament of the 1978 All-Africa Games and the men’s football tournament of the 1975 Mediterranean Games. They are not featuring in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

1. Mahrez Riyad

Riyad Mahrez. Author Clément Bucco-Lechat.

Riyad Karim Mahrez, born 21 February 1991 is a professional footballer currently playing as a winger for Premier League club Manchester City and captains the Algeria national team. He has been regarded as one of the best wingers in world soccer.

He boasts of being crowned the Algerian Footballer of the Year 2015-16 seasons, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and was a member of the Premier League PFA Team of the Year as. He also helped Leicester City clinch the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup in his first season.

He scored his first hat-trick for Leicester City on 28 November 2020 in a 5–0 home league win over Burnley. On 4 May 2021, Mahrez scored both goals in a 2–0 home win over Â鶹APP Saint-Germain in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, securing them the first European Cup final in the club’s history.

Known as a left-footed player, Mahrez usually plays as a right winger, cutting inside and shooting on goal with his stronger foot, or make deliveries into the penalty area. He can also play anywhere across the frontline. Very fast on the ball, creative and technically gifted player, his strength lies in his trickery, balance, turn of pace, flair and dribbling skills.

2. Ismaël Bennacer

Ismaël Bennacer. Author joshjdss.

Ismaël Bennacer, born 1 December 1997 is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club AC Milan and the Algeria national team.

At club level, Bennacer has played for teams in France, England and Italy throughout his career. Internationally, he made his senior debut for Algeria in 2016, and has since represented his nation at three editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. Notably, he was a member of the team that won the 2019 edition and was named the player of the tournament.

He participated in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, contributing to Algeria’s first title in 29 years and also finished the competition as the joint-top assist provider, alongside Franck Kessié, with three assists, including one for Baghdad Bounedjah’s match-winning goal against Senegal in the final on 19 July. He was also voted both the “Best Young Player” and the “Best Player” of the tournament.

As a dynamic, tenacious, energetic, diminutive, and versatile left-footed player, He is capable of playing in several midfield roles. His main characteristics include speed, vision, intelligence, composure, dribbling skills, passing, and technique with ability to transition from defense into attack.

3.  Mohamed Youcef Belaïli

Belaïli was born on 14 March 1992 in Oran. He started his football career with RCG Oran, before moving to the reserve team of MC Oran. On 5 June, Belaïli officially joined Espérance on a three-year contract worth €2 million.

He made his debut for Espérance as a substitute against ASO Chlef in the group stage of the 2012 CAF Champions League. Coming on in the 77th minute, he won his team a penalty to level the score and then provided an assist for Yannick N’Djeng in injury time to help Espérance win the game.

4. Selmane Ramy Bensebaïni

 This Algerian sensation began his career at Paradou AC, joining the youth team in 2008 and making his senior debut in 2013. During the summer of 2013, he went on trial with Porto and was later handed a two-week trial by English Premier League side Arsenal, during which he played in two friendlies with the under-21 team against Luton Town and Colchester.

 Bensebaïni joined the Algeria national under-23 football team in a 2015 during the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifying match against Sierra Leone. In November 2015, he was called up to the Algeria national team for the first time for a pair of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania.

5. Aïssa Mandi

Aïssa Mandi. Author G.Garitan.

Aïssa Mandi, born 22 October 1991 is an Algerian professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Villarreal and the Algeria national team. Apart from his main central defense role, he can also play as a right-back.

He made his international debut for Algeria in March 2014 and was a member of the Algerian team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil as well as the 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He won the 2019 tournament.

While he was also eligible to play for France, Mandi decided to play for Algeria and made his debut for them on 5 March 2014 in a 2–0 victory over Slovenia.  He was one of the new players of the Algerian national team during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

6. Mohamed Saïd Benrahma

Mohamed Saïd Benrahma, born 10 August 1995, is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club West Ham United and the Algeria national team.

Benrahma began his professional career with Nice, later spending time on loan with Angers, Gazélec Ajaccio and Châteauroux. He came to the limelight in the EFL Championship after a move to Brentford in 2018, scoring 27 goals in 83 appearances for the West London outfit before moving to the Premier League with West Ham on a permanent basis following a loan spell in 2021.

7. Abdelhafid Tasfaout

He has the history of scoring most goals for Algeria during his 12 years on the international scene. Unfortunately, for the former Auxerre and Guingamp player, his country failed to qualify for the World Cup during his stint in attack.

However, he suffered a serious head injury during the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations which some feared at the time would kill him, but he went on to make a full recovery.

8. Lakhdar Belloumi 

Regarded as a hero among the Algerian fans, largely because he struck the winning goal against West Germany 32 years ago.

The creative midfielder won a number of awards, including being voted the African Footballer of the Year in 1981, as well as being named the fourth-best African footballer of the century. He also holds the record for most appearances for the national team. 

During his career with the national team, he was capped 101 times and scored 27 goals.

9. Madjid Bougherra 

He is known to be a solid center-back. Still playing and no doubt hoping to be a part of the Algeria squad this summer, Bougherra, born in France, qualifies to play for the Foxes because his grandfather was born there.

He showed his defensive qualities during the draw with England four years ago and is also known to have an eye for a goal, as he showed with Rangers back in 2009 when he found the net against Dundee United. It was a strike that was later voted the Goal of the Season. He has played 60 times for his country and scored 4 goals.

10. Djamel Menad 

His finest moment was during the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations when his five goals helped the hosts to win the tournament. As well as a team medal, the striker also won the Golden Boot award.

He also represented his country in one World Cup, five Africa Cup of Nations events and one summer Olympic Games. He was capped 81times and scored 25goals.