Riyad Mahrez is loving life in Saudi Arabia, and he isn’t shy about who he believes is football’s all-time best.
The Algerian winger, now a key figure at Al-Ahli Jeddah, says Lionel Messi stands above all, even if Cristiano Ronaldo sees things differently.
Mahrez joined Al-Ahli in the summer of 2023 and has already helped the club lift its first-ever AFC Champions League title, an achievement he calls “unprecedented” and deeply rewarding.
Mahrez told French outlet L’Equipe, “I heard reports about the possibility of Messi joining Al Ahly, but I don’t know how true it is. If that happens, it will be incredible for us as players, because we will have the chance to play with the best player in history.”
Though Ronaldo has praised the Saudi Pro League’s quality, Mahrez offered a more grounded view: “I disagree with him, because the top leagues are still better, but we’re not far behind them. The goal is a long-term plan,”
On a return to Europe, he said, “Sometimes I miss it because I love challenges and playing at the highest level, but I’ve already made my decision, which is to play in the Saudi league.”
The former Manchester City star still dreams of Marseille, his boyhood club, but remains focused on shaping Saudi football’s future.
