The Greatest Algerian Footballers of all-time

No.3 Riyad Mahrez

The first Algerian footballer to win the Premier League, Riyad Mahrez came to prominence after Leicester City secured his signing from that French hotbed of young talent, Le Havre. He would go on to become the Foxes creative lynchpin as the club stunned the footballing world with their 2016 triumph, his skill on the wing providing countless assists and goals along the way. His performances prompted a £60m move to Manchester City in 2018, becoming the most expensive African footballer ever as well City's record transfer fee at the time. Whilst other players may have taken most of the plaudits since his move there, Mahrez has remained one of the club's most consistent and effective players, continuing to wreak havoc down the wing and delivering match-winning performances just when they needed it.

No.2 Rabah Madjer

One of Algeria's greatest ever players, Rabah Madjer made his name in the mid 1980s with Racing Club Paris before transferring to Porto in 1985. The striker would enjoy a successful six year spell with the Portuguese club, scoring one of the greatest goals in a European Cup final, with his famous back-heeled finish in the 1987 final against Bayern Munich. The goal was so iconic that it would have its own name as a signature skill in France, with the term "La Madjer" being used to describe a back-heeled goal.

No.1 Lakhdar Belloumi

A wonderfully gifted attacking midfielder, Lakhdar Belloumi is widely regarded as the greatest Algerian footballer of all-time, and one of the greatest African players of all-time.

Belloumi's probably not as well known as many other great players of his era because Algeria had a law at the time that forbade any player from leaving the country before the age of 27. So, despite interest in 1981 from a number of huge European clubs, including Barcelona, Belloumi had to reman in his homeland, playing for GCR Mascara. Whilst that ruling meant that we missed out on seeing him grace European football competitions, we were lucky enough to see him at Espana’82, immediately wondering who on earth this player was, and why we’d never heard of him before. Forming a fine attacking trident along with Salah Assad and Rabah Madjer they would have gone through the group stages if it wasn't for the events at the last match between West Germany and Austria, which became known as the Disgrace of Gijón.