Riyad Mahrez: Is the Algerian Star Losing His Magic?

Riyad Mahrez, the leader of the Algerian national team, is going through a tough time in his career. In a recent game that ended in a scoreless draw against Equatorial Guinea, he didn't score or assist for the 11th straight international match—something that hasn't happened since he started playing in 2014.

What's even more worrying for Mahrez's fans is that his special skill, dribbling, is not as good as it used to be. According to "SofaScore," Mahrez didn't complete any dribbles in the game and only tried once, which didn't work—a big change from the amazing performances he used to have.

Before, Mahrez said he feels the effects of getting older and changing expectations. At a press conference before a game with Al Ahli in the AFC Champions League, he admitted, "I can't dribble past six players like people expect me to anymore."

Even with this drop in performance, the Algerian coach, Vladimir Petković, still appreciates Mahrez and praises his work on and off the field. The big question is: can Mahrez find his old magic again and stop the criticism?