Manchester City attacker Riyad Mahrez has expressed his disappointment after the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Algeria bowed out in the Group Stage of their defence of the title.
The 2019 winners went into the tournament with high hopes but after their Arab Cup win last month, they couldn't repeat their heroics.
Mahrez, who captained his country, failed to make it out of the group phase as they finished bottom of their group with one point as Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea progressed to the knockout rounds.
In the group decider, Algeria had to beat Ivory Coast to progress but slipped to a 3-1 defeat with the City winger missing from the spot.
"Salam everyone, I waited a few days before posting on the networks but I think it's important that you have our feelings about this big disappointment and our disappointment," the 30-year-old wrote in a statement on Instagram.
"We're not going to look for excuses despite the conditions: we just weren't at the level, me first.
"When everything was going well, we were winning and we were at the top, everyone was being us and sill a lot of our brothers, fans, compatriots are behind us today... but I read a lot of negative messages and it shows once again that football goes very quickly in both directions.
"This competition will have served as a reminder, and we will come back stronger from that, be sure.
"We will make the people proud again in the important matches that are coming up to be able to go to the World Cup in sha allah.
"Thank you to everyone who supports us in good and difficult times. Tahia Djazair’ forever."
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