Riyad Mahrez is one of Leicester City’s greatest-ever players and will forever be cemented in the club’s folklore for his 2015/16 season.
Mahrez was unplayable for the first-team squad that year, helping the club to an unprecedented Premier League title – defeating odds of 5000/1 – and thus adding the most prized possession to the club’s trophy cabinet.
The Algerian winger enjoyed a glittering four-and-a-half-year spell at King Power Stadium and cemented himself as one of the best players on the continent during that time and arguably a Leicester City legend.
Few could comprehend how ridiculous his first touch was, as nearly every ball, no matter how high it fell, was killed stone dead by the former Foxes magician.
With that said, Leicester City News has taken a dive inside the life and career of Mahrez including answers to all of your frequently asked questions.
Riyad Mahrez personal profile
Full name: Riyad Karim Mahrez
Age: 33 (21 Feburary 1991)
Birthplace: Sarcelles, France
Height: 5’10” (1.79m)
Position: Right winger
Number: 7, 22 and 26
When did Riyad Mahrez join Leicester City?
Mahrez joined Leicester City in January 2014 from French second-division outfit Le Harve.
22 at the time, the skilful winger was believed to cost around €500,000 (£427,000), as per Transfermarkt.
Then Foxes manager Nigel Pearson was delighted with his new signing: “Riyad is a pleasing addition to a squad that already has a lot of quality and I’m delighted we’ve been able to secure his signature.
“Whenever we look to add to our squad, it has to be a player that will improve us while complementing what we already have and Riyad certainly fits that description.
“He is a talented player, technically very good, and he gives us another option in attacking positions.”
Riyad Mahrez stats
The former City wide player has played for four clubs throughout his career and has racked up over 500 appearances.
At Leicester, Mahrez netted 48 times whilst laying on 38 assists in 179 outings, as per Transfermarkt, and was named the Premier League’s PFA Player of the Year in 2016, the title-winning season.
What is Riyad Mahrez’s salary?
Mahrez currently plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli after making a £30m switch from Manchester City last summer.
According to the Mirror, the 33-year-old takes home a pay packet worth £750,000-a-week, which equates to an annual salary of £39m.
Across his two-year deal, Mahrez will pocket an eye-watering £78m.
Riyad Mahrez’s wife
Mahrez was married to Rita Johal for six years before the pair reportedly divorced in 2020.
He is now in a marriage with Taylor Ward, who is the daughter of former Manchester City striker Ashley Ward.
The relationship has been heavily publicised lately after the duo featured on Amazon’s Married To The Game show, which provides insight into the life of a footballer.
Riyad Mahrez children
Mahrez is the father of three children, all of whom are girls. He has two daughters Inaya Mahrez and Ayla Mahrez from his previous marriage with Rita.
The Algeria international welcomed his third daughter Mila Mahrez in July 2022 with his new wife Taylor.
What is Riyad Mahrez’s Instagram?
The Al-Ahli forward often posts on Instagram to his 12.5m followers under the username @RiyadMahrez26.7.
Mahrez is also on X (formerly Twitter) and can be found under the handle @Mahrez22.
Did Riyad Mahrez play for St Mirren?
Whilst Mahrez never actually made a professional appearance for St Mirren, he did have a trial with them.
Speaking to L’Equipe in 2016, he said: “An agent, Jean Evina, told me he had trial for me in the Scottish First Division with St Mirren reserves.
“He paid for my ticket and I went with another guy from Sarcelles (a suburb in Northern Paris), Dany Bekale.
“It went well. I played four friendlies and I scored seven goals. I killed them. And then they made me wait. Two-and-a-half months.
“I’d had enough. It drove me crazy, Scotland. It was cold. It was abuse. It was snowing and everything… I was so cold that one day I faked an injury to go to the locker room.
“It was physical and it was cold. We trained in the snow! I felt that I progressed; I wasn’t allowed to go so I left in secret.
“Anyway… a few days later, my agent said… ‘Riyad, I’ve sent you a ticket, you take the bus right away, get off at Glasgow Station and you get on the train to the airport, then you take the flight to Paris’.
“I did not speak English at all. I left my boots at the training ground. I borrowed a bike from a guy from the hotel, I took my football trainers, I made my bag and I left without telling anyone. Not even the lady at the hotel. I left via a staircase which avoided the reception.”
The post Who is Riyad Mahrez? Inside the life of the former Leicester City magician appeared first on Leicester City News.