Portugal has called up Mezian Soares Mesloub for its U21 teams, but Algeria is not planning to remain passive.
At just 16 years old, the young prodigy from RC Lens, who also has the option to represent France, is already attracting interest from all three national teams due to his rapid rise.
Promoted to Ligue 1 last season, Mesloub made headlines by scoring his first goal in the top flight just 18 seconds after coming on against Nantes. He then signed his first professional contract with Lens and continues to progress this season.
The young talent particularly stood out in the Champions League. Coming on against Slavia Prague, he provided an assist and made a noticeable impact. In four appearances across all competitions this season, he has already accumulated 133 minutes of play and one assist.
His performances have convinced Portugal to promote him to the U21s. However, Algeria is also closely monitoring his progress. According to La Gazette du Fennec, initial contacts have already taken place between the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) and Walid Mesloub. Brahim Hemdani is also expected to meet with the player's family after the break.
