Vancouver: Algeria's Riyad Mahrez has announced his retirement from international football following his team's elimination from the FIFA World Cup in the Round of 32, concluding a decorated career with the national squad.

Switzerland secured a position in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 with a convincing 2-0 victory over Algeria on Thursday, delivering a precise performance in their Round of 32 knockout matchup.

"This was my final match for the national team," Mahrez told beIN Sports after Algeria's departure from the tournament, confirming his decision immediately after the loss in a post shared by 433's X account.

Mahrez finishes his international career with 119 appearances for Algeria, during which he recorded 40 goals and contributed 45 assists.

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During his tenure with the national team, he played a central role in Algeria's championship run at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where the team captured the title. He was additionally selected as the African Footballer of the Year in 2016, cementing his status as one of the continent's most impactful modern players.

In Thursday's match, Breel Embolo opened the scoring early in the 10th minute, capitalising on a fluid sequence initiated by Johan Manzambi. The winger executed a dynamic individual run down the left wing before reaching the boundary line and delivering an accurate cross, which Embolo redirected into the net from close range.

Carrying a 1-0 advantage into halftime, Switzerland doubled its lead immediately after the interval when Dan Ndoye scored in the 46th minute. The scoring opportunity arose when a defensive clearance bounced favourably to him outside the penalty area, allowing him to drive a low shot into the back of the net.

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Algeria, captained by Mahrez, attempted to mount a counteroffensive but was unable to penetrate a disciplined Swiss defensive alignment. Switzerland also nearly added a third goal late in the contest, though Fabian Rieder missed a prime scoring opportunity.

Despite the missed chance, the Swiss squad comfortably managed the remaining minutes of the fixture to preserve the 2-0 victory and advance to the Round of 16.

The triumph also marked Switzerland's first World Cup knockout stage win since 1938, snapping a long-standing drought in dominant fashion.

The Swiss team will remain in Vancouver, where it is scheduled to play either Colombia or Ghana on July 7. Switzerland has now won three consecutive World Cup matches for the first time in its history, with this victory following group stage wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada.

With inputs from ANI