Mahrez, who currently plays for Jeddah Nationals, accepted an exclusive interview with the French media "Team News" and talked about topics such as winning the AFC Champions League, rumors about Jeddah Nationals and Messi.
won the AFC Champions League with the team in May, which is also the 15th trophy in your career. What does this mean to you?
"This is not a finishing point. In the first two years of Jeddah National, it is very important to win some honors with this team. Jeddah National has never won the AFC Champions League before, so this victory means more to the club and the fans. I am very eager to win this championship. Although I have won the domestic league championship, we have never dominated the Asian continent."
Jeddah National hopes to sign Messi after his contract with Miami expires in December this year. Do you want to play with him?
"Yes, I heard about this... As a player, Messi has always been one of my role models, he is a very good player. I don't know if this will come true, but if it does happen, it is incredible for a player like us to be able to play with the greatest player of all time."
Does European football miss? Have you considered a return?
"Sometimes I think, because I love the highest level of games, I do miss it. But now that I have made a decision, I have to find my challenges and motivation in Saudi Arabia. Honestly, I am living a good life here, we are part of this program, our goal is to bring freshness, experience and professionalism. They also hope to develop more good young players in Saudi Arabia and make the national team stronger."
Have you played for Le Havre, Leicester City and Manchester City, and which European club do you still dream of playing for?
"I dreamed of playing for Marseille since I was a child, and I am a loyal fan of Marseille. All the players who have played there: Drogba, Nion, Nasri, Ribery... My dream is to play football at the Verodrom Stadium in Ligue 1. However, my career has taken another path..."
How do you think of some players using Algeria as an alternative when choosing the national team?
"Slimani and I have similar views. Everyone has their own choices. If you feel that you are Algerian, then you come and play for your country and defend the flag. If you don't feel that you are Algerian, it's better to make it clear from the beginning that delaying time is not a good thing. Now we have proven that you can join a big club even if you play for the African national team."