Riyad Mahrez has cast doubt over his future with the Algeria national team following their quarter-final exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking after the 2-0 defeat by Nigeria, the former Manchester City winger delivered an emotional reflection on a 12-year international career that has seen both triumph and heartbreak.

“I don’t know what’s left for me with the national team,” Mahrez said. “I’ve been here for 12 years, I’ve experienced highs and lows, that’s football.

“This was my last AFCON. I’m sad it ended in the quarter-finals. I would have loved for us to win this trophy again, but unfortunately it won’t be possible.”

Mahrez was a central figure in Algeria’s golden generation, captaining the side to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2019 and becoming one of the country’s most influential and decorated players. His comments suggest that defeat by Nigeria may have marked the end of an era for the Desert Foxes.

Algeria had entered the tournament with hopes of another deep run, but those ambitions were halted by a disciplined Nigerian performance that left Mahrez and his team-mates searching for answers.

As the dust settles on Algeria’s exit, attention will now turn to whether one of Africa’s most gifted players has played his final international tournament and how the national team reshapes itself for life beyond Mahrez.