As a winger, Mahrez plays for Leicester City and the Algerian national football team. After spending three years playing for Le Havre, he made a permanent transfer to then-Championship side Leicester City in January 2014. He made his international debut for Algieria in 2014 and represented them at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. As of May 2015, he had won 17 international caps and scored 3 goals.

Early Life

Mahrez was born in Sarcelles, France, to an Algerian father and a mother of Algerian and Moroccan descent. His father Ahmed was from Beni Snous, Tlemcen District. Growing up, Mahrez would regularly spend his holidays in Algeria. His childhood friends included fellow footballers such as Wissam Ben Yedder. 

Mahrez's father had played football in Algeria. When Mahrez was fifteen, his father died of a heart attack. He reflected that "I don't know if I started to be more serious but after the death of my dad things started to go for me. Maybe in my head, I wanted it more".

Club Career

Although often overlooked by teams due to his slender build, Mahrez developed ball skills that brought him attention. He joined AAS Sarcelles in 2004. He had a two-month trial at Scottish club St Mirren, but left due to the cold weather.

In 2009, Mahrez joined CFA side Quimper from AAS Sarcelles, making 22 appearances and scoring 2 goals in his first season with the club. While playing for Quimper he lived with Mathias Pogba.

He joined Le Havre in 2010, turning down offers from leading French teams Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille to join them, being enticed by their youth system. He initially played for their reserve team, Le Havre II, before going on to play 60 times and score 6 goals for the first team in the French Ligue 2 from 2011 until leaving in January 2014. He criticised Ligue 2 for what he saw as a reliance on defence and teams aiming for a goalless draw in every match.

Personal Life

Mahrez married his English girlfriend, Rita Johal, in 2015. Their daughter was born later that year. In June 2019, the couple, who by that time had two daughters, were ordered to pay a former nanny more than £3,600 in unpaid wages. In October 2020, it was confirmed that Mahrez is now in a relationship with English model Taylor Ward after splitting from Johal. They announced their engagement on 21 June 2021. The couple had a daughter in July 2022.