On this day in 1991, Leicester City’s one and only, Riyad Mahrez was born in Sarcelles, France, to an Algerian father and a mother of Moroccan descent. Just as things stood a couple of years back, Mahrez was overlooked due to his slick body figure, but he made it all up his slender ball control which saw him making his first footballing step, joining AAS Sarcelles in 2004. Six years on, the Algerian joined Le Havre after reportedly rejecting the likes of Paris Saint Germain and Marseille. After a total of more than 120 appearances with Le Havre II and Le Havre, a move to the then Championship side Leicester City followed.
In his first season with the Foxes, he helped them to get a Premier League promotion and then went on to make the headlines in 2015–16 as he scored 18 goals in all competition and this is when the Foxes won the Premier League title. Mahrez remains Premier League’s one of the most featured wingers and although his future is under heavy scrutiny with Leicester, he is still donning their royal blue.
As things stand for his country; despite being born in France, he has decided to represent Algeria.