"2026 one will be my last. I'm not Cristiano Ronaldo" - Riyad Mahrez makes cheeky claim when asked if he'd play in 2030 WC

Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez has revealed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last, joking that he cannot continue his career like Cristiano Ronaldo. The Al Ahli winger helped secure his nation's spot in the tournament next summer by scoring in the 3-0 win over Somalia.

Speaking to the media after the World Cup qualifier, Mahrez confirmed that he will be playing in his final World Cup next year. He does not plan to extend his career until the 2030 tournament and said (via TheNassrZone):

"No, the 2026 one will be my last. I'm not Cristiano Ronaldo (laughs)."

The former Manchester City star was recently asked about Ronaldo's comment about the Saudi Pro League being among the Top 5 in the world. He was quick to dismiss the claims, but said that they were not far off and were progressing well. He said (via GOAL):

"No. I think the five big European leagues are ahead, and then we can start to compete with the other leagues. We're not too far off, I think. After that, the goal isn't to be the best league in the world right now. We're looking at the long term."

"Those like me who have arrived are here at the beginning of this adventure, we're a bit like pioneers. We're helping them make this league stronger. And frankly, over my two seasons, I've felt progress in the teams, the coaches, the tactics and the organisation. They're trying to get there, and I think they'll get there. They're putting in the effort and they really want it."

While Riyad Mahrez has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal are yet to book their seats. They have just started their qualifiers and have won their opening two matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo comments on the FIFA World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that he wants to play for Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying that he renewed his contract at Al-Nassr with one eye on next summer's tournament. With Portugal set to hold the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo expressed his delight, adding that he was proud to see his country get the bid along with Spain and Morocco.

He posted on Instagram and the caption read:

"A dream come true. Portugal will host the World Cup 2030 and make us proud. Together!"

Cristiano Ronaldo extended his contract with Al-Nassr until 2027 and has admitted that he is close to retirement.

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Sripad is a veteran Sportskeeda football journalist who has been with the company for around 10 years. His tryst with writing happened in class XI when he started penning blogs, and his foray into football was during the early 2000s, watching matches with his cousins.

Sripad has been a Chelsea fan through and through since the age of 9 and can watch their 2012 Champions League triumph on repeat. The undisputed ‘GOAT’ according to him is Lionel Messi and his favorite managers are Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. Apart from popular European leagues, he also likes to follow other leagues like the MLS, Saudi Pro League, Eredivisie, and Liga MX.

Sripad believes in only using the right sources for his articles, and is an expert in understanding how to get the right quotes for each news to provide proper background information. His exploits have led him to become a popular figure in European Football and interviewing Premier League legends such as Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Paul Dickov, and John Barnes. His articles have been much revered amongst the football fraternity and have been shared by the likes of John Terry, Gary Lineker, and Declan Rice.

If given a chance to change a football rule, Sripad wants VAR to be fully automated and offside rules to be less stringent. When not working, he likes to watch past Formula 1 races and play FIFA.

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