Verts: Mezian Mesloub called up to represent his country in Portugal!

Sep 18, 2026

At just 16 years old, Mezian Mesloub continues to capture attention on the international stage. The young player from RC Lens has been selected for the Portuguese U21 team, while his international future remains uncertain.

Less than 24 hours after the announcement of Brahim Hemdani's first list for the Algeria national team, Portugal also revealed its U21 selection. Among the chosen players is Mezian Mesloub, the young attacking midfielder from RC Lens, who is only 16 years old.

Having already proven himself in the Portuguese youth teams, Mesloub will now be promoted to the U21s. So far, he has 3 caps and 1 goal with the U16s, as well as 5 appearances and 1 goal with the U17s. This progression highlights the importance the Portuguese Football Federation places on him.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the coach of the Portuguese U21s, Luís Freire, has personally taken the time to engage with the player and his family in recent months to present them with a solid sporting project with Portugal. This investment could justify his early call-up to the U21s.

However, this selection does not completely close the door on Algeria. Although he is playing with the Portuguese U21s, Mesloub still has the option to change his sporting nationality in the future, as long as he is not definitively committed to the Portugal senior team. The son of Walid Mesloub remains a talent to watch closely.

DZfoot