Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has declared his team ready to go the distance at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with Vladimir Petkovic's side facing Switzerland in the Round of 32 in Vancouver on Friday.

A rocky group stage, but Algeria are through

The Desert Foxes endured a turbulent opening to the tournament, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Argentina in their first match. They regrouped to edge Jordan 2-1 before holding on for a dramatic 3-3 draw with Austria, which was enough to advance.

Mahrez was emphatic about the squad's collective ambition ahead of the knockout stage. "We want to go as far as possible not just for ourselves, but for our families and for our country," the Algeria skipper told FIFA.com.

Mahrez delivers on a personal goal

The 35-year-old netted twice in the absorbing draw against Austria, satisfying a personal target he had set alongside the team's progression objective. "Even though progression was the most important thing, in the back of my mind I also had that personal goal of getting on the scoresheet," said the former Manchester City winger.

For a player of Mahrez's stature, reaching the knockout rounds of a World Cup with Algeria represents a significant moment — and he appears eager to extend it as far as possible in Canada.