DOHA: Al Shamal officially signed Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez yesterday, with the experienced winger joining the Qatar Stars League club for the ongoing season.
Mahrez signed his contract in the presence of Al Shamal football department head Meshaal Al Ali after arriving in Doha last week to complete the move.
The 35-year-old has joined Al Shamal’s training sessions as David Prats’ side prepare for their upcoming domestic and continental commitments, including the AFC Champions League.
Al Shamal are fifth in the Qatar Stars League with eight points. They finished runners-up last season and are seeking to strengthen their squad following a cruciate ligament injury to Morocco international Mohamed Rabie Hrimat.
Mahrez brings extensive experience from his spells at Leicester City, Manchester City and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli. He played a key role in Leicester’s historic Premier League title triumph in 2016 before joining Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles and helped the club secure the UEFA Champions League in 2023.
He moved to Al Ahli in 2023 and helped the Saudi club win the AFC Champions League Elite in 2025 and 2026.
At the international level, Mahrez was a key member of Algeria’s squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019. He has also represented his country at the 2014 and 2026 FIFA World Cups.
