Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has acknowledged that the current Super Eagles squad is stronger than the Nigerian team his side faced at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Algerian forward made the admission during a press conference ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated quarter-final clash between the Desert Foxes and the Super Eagles at the ongoing 2025 AFCON in Morocco. According to Mahrez, Nigeria now possesses a greater attacking threat and depth compared to the side they encountered six years ago in Egypt.
“The current Nigeria team is better offensively than the one in 2019. There are a lot of good players in this team,” the former Manchester City winger stated.
Despite his praise for Nigeria, Mahrez expressed confidence in Algeria’s quality and believes his team is well prepared for the challenge ahead.
“We also have a very good team, and we will give our best to make our supporters happy. It will be a super match,” he added.
Mahrez will be aiming to recreate memories from the 2019 AFCON, where he scored a stunning late free-kick against Nigeria in the semi-final, a goal that sent Algeria into the final. The Desert Foxes eventually went on to lift the trophy after edging Senegal in the final.
Nigeria and Algeria are now set to renew their fierce rivalry in what is expected to be one of the standout fixtures of AFCON 2025, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.