Riyad Mahrez
A silky Algerian winger who rose from French amateur football to lead Leicester City's impossible Premier League triumph.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Algerian footballer·Birthday: February 21·Millennials
Biography
Riyad Mahrez's ascent is a modern football fable. Spotted playing for French fourth-tier side Quimper, he was a raw, skilful prospect when Leicester City took a modest gamble. Under Claudio Ranieri, he transformed into the Premier League's most dazzling attacker, his left foot conducting a symphony of title-winning chaos. The following season, he was the PFA Player of the Year, a magician cutting in from the right wing. A big-money move to Manchester City followed, where he evolved from luxury player to essential technician, adding multiple Premier League crowns and a Champions League title to his legacy. As Algeria's captain, he delivered a last-minute free-kick to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, sealing his god-like status at home. Mahrez's career is the story of a late-blooming artist who proved supreme talent can emerge from anywhere.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Riyad was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Riyad Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Riyad's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Premier League title in the historic 2015-16 season with Leicester City.
- Named the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 2016.
- Captained Algeria to victory in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring a dramatic semi-final winner.
- Won a continental treble (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League) with Manchester City in 2023.
- Became the first Algerian to score in a UEFA Champions League final in 2023.
Did You Know?
He was playing in the French fourth division (CFA) for Quimper at age 20.
He is a devout Muslim and has performed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
He initially played as a left-back in his youth before being converted to a winger.
He holds both French and Algerian citizenship.
“When you come from where I come from, you have to fight. You have to be strong in your head.”
