Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez bags Maghreb Player of 2019 title by France Football

French football magazine France Football has named Algeria’s national football team captain and Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez the Maghreb player of the year 2019 following online votes by football fans.

The 28-year old player outclassed Moroccan and Ajax talisman Hakim Ziyech and his national teammate Amy Bensebaini rated third. More than 45,000 fans took part in the online poll.

It is the third time, Mahrez is named Maghreb Player after 2015 and 2016.

He is on course for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) footballer of the year in a bout with Liverpool strikers Senegalese Sadio Mane and Egyptian Mohamed Salah.

Mahrez had a fantastic 2019 African Cup Nations played in Egypt. Algeria lifted their second win of the trophy in history.