Riyad Mahrez vs Ousmane Dembélé
Algeria against France. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Riyad Mahrez
Algeria · 2016–23 · RM
- Almanac rating
- 90
- Rank in Algeria
- #2 of 33
- Caps
- 120 · 40 goals
- Clubs
- Leicester City, Manchester City, Al Ahli
- Honours
- national Player of the Year 2016 · Hall of Fame 2019
Nigeria built a wall and laid a man on the grass behind it in the fifth minute of stoppage time in the 2019 semi-final, and Mahrez curled the free kick over both into the top corner. Algeria won that Africa Cup of Nations, and he collected five English league titles, one with Leicester in 2016 and four at Manchester City, the 2023 Champions League, and African Footballer of the Year in 2016. Career record: 120 caps and 40 goals for Algeria; club career at Leicester City, Manchester City, Al Ahli; honours include national Player of the Year 2016, Hall of Fame 2019.
Ousmane Dembélé
France · 2015–26 · RM
- Almanac rating
- 92
- Rank in France
- #7 of 33
- Caps
- 65 · 12 goals
- Clubs
- Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
- Honours
- Ballon d'Or 2025
Twenty-five first-half minutes against Norway on 26 June 2026 brought Dembélé three goals, the fastest World Cup hat-trick in seventy-two years and the first of his France career. A World Cup winner with France in 2018, he took the 2025 Ballon d'Or after carrying Paris Saint-Germain to their first Champions League, and league titles in both Paris and Barcelona, plus the 2017 German Cup at Dortmund. Career record: 65 caps and 12 goals for France; club career at Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain; honours include Ballon d'Or 2025.
The verdict
The almanac puts Ousmane Dembélé ahead by 2 rating points, 92 against 90.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.