Algeria: Portugal has no intention of letting Mezian Mesloub go!

Sep 23, 2026

At just 16 years old, Mezian Mesloub is already at the center of a significant international issue. Portugal has selected him for the U21 team, clearly demonstrating its intention to invest in his future.

Portugal no longer hides its intentions regarding Mezian Mesloub. At only 16, the young talent from RC Lens has been directly , having previously played with the U16 and U17 teams. Born in France to an Algerian father, former international Walid Mesloub, and a Portuguese mother, he is also eligible to play for Algeria and France.

In an interview with the Portuguese media outlet A Bola, Luís Freire, the U21 coach, explained why he wanted to follow Mesloub's development with the youth team: “ He is a young player of 16 who has already played in our youth teams. This is the result of the work done by our technical structure and our coaches. He played with the U17s, and since then, we have kept in touch with him and continued to follow him. Today, he is starting to play in the Champions League and in the French league, which has brought him further into our sights for the U21s.”

The Portuguese coach also highlighted the qualities that led to this promotion: “Given the quality he has shown, this is an excellent opportunity to observe him more closely. He demonstrates creativity, has a real sense of dribbling, and possesses speed. The level at which he is currently playing also matches what we are looking for in the U21s.” At 16, Mesloub thus becomes one of the youngest players ever called up to the Portuguese U21 team.

Freire finally confirmed that this promotion is also part of a long-term vision: “We have chosen to let him take certain steps due to his talent and skill. Mezian is a player we want to develop to prepare both the short-term present of our team and the future.” This statement clearly indicates that Portugal is looking to take the lead on this matter and gradually integrate Mesloub into its project, while Algeria still has the opportunity to entice him in the future.

DZfoot