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Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has tipped Nigeria’s Super Eagles as strong favourites to lift their fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in Morocco.
The Al-Ahli winger made the comments in an interview with Naija Sports following Algeria’s 2-0 quarter-final loss to Nigeria on Saturday.
Despite playing a key role for his side, Mahrez was unable to stop his team’s exit from the competition.
Looking back on the tournament, the 35-year-old admitted his disappointment at missing out on another title but said he remains proud of his AFCON triumph in 2019.
He backed Nigeria to go all the way, praising the depth and quality of their squad, but warned that success is never guaranteed, stressing that the “best team” on paper does not always end up winning the tournament.
“I’m happy I was able to win one AFCON trophy for my country. It’s football; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” Mahrez said.
“Maybe it will be Nigeria’s time to win. They have a talented generation. However, sometimes you can have a great generation and still not win. It’s incredibly difficult to win, but I think they have a very good chance.”
