Algeria defender Belghali opens up about Mahrez admiration

Torino defender Belghali has revealed that Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez was the only footballer he considered a role model while growing up.

The Algeria international reflected on his career in an interview after moving to Torino, discussing his first World Cup, his decision to remain in Europe and his admiration for Mahrez, who has since become his international team-mate.

Belghali said representing Algeria at the World Cup and scoring his first goal in the competition was a significant moment in his development.

The defender looked back on his journey from his early days in Belgium to reaching the international stage with Algeria, describing the experience as an important milestone in his career.

His career also included an important decision while he was playing for KV Mechelen. Belghali revealed that he received an offer from Qatar but decided against leaving Europe because his ambition was to represent Algeria and continue developing his career in Europe.

“ Yes, that’s true. When I was at Mechelen, I received an offer to go to Qatar, but it was never my dream. I wanted to play for Algeria and I hadn’t had that opportunity yet. So I wanted to stay in Europe to build a great career and continue to progress ,” he explained.

That decision allowed Belghali to continue pursuing his ambitions in European football while waiting for his opportunity with the Algerian national team.

However, it was his comments about Mahrez that provided one of the most personal moments of the interview.

Belghali said he had very few idols during his childhood, but Mahrez stood out because of his Algerian background and his success at the highest level of European football.

The relationship has since changed, with the player he once admired now alongside him in the Algeria squad.

“ I didn’t have many idols. The only one I had was Riyad Mahrez. Now I play with him, so it’s a little different. When I was little and started playing football, he was one of my role models. He’s Algerian and has had a great career in Europe ,” he said.

Belghali is now focused on establishing himself at Torino after moving to the Italian club.

The defender has made an encouraging start in Turin and wants to continue building on the progress he made during his previous spell at Verona.

His immediate focus is on making a positive contribution to his new team and helping Torino improve throughout the season.

“I hope to have an impact on the team and help it improve every week. I want to do the same as last season in Verona and help the team as much as possible.”

For Belghali, the move to Torino represents another stage in a career that has already taken him from Belgium to the international stage with Algeria and now to Italian football.

His admiration for Mahrez, meanwhile, has taken an unusual turn, with the former childhood role model now a team-mate at international level.