Tension between Morocco and Algeria could reach its peak in the coming days, after both national teams comfortably advanced from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage.
Moroccan international Elias Benseghir has already started looking ahead to a possible North African showdown, while playfully teasing his Bayer Leverkusen teammate Ibrahim Maza.
Morocco topped Group A, doing the job with authority. Despite a small stumble in a 1–1 draw against Mali, the Atlas Lions had no trouble beating Comoros 2–0 and Zambia 3–0 to book their place in the knockouts. Algeria, drawn in Group E, also impressed, defeating Sudan 3–0, Burkina Faso 1–0 and Equatorial Guinea 3–1, confirming their status as serious contenders for the title.
Speaking to Afrikick, Benseghir said the idea of facing Algeria, and specifically Mazza, comes up often between them, noting that they joke a lot about it and know such a clash would be “spectacular”. He stressed that both sides must first reach the latter stages for this to happen, before adding with a joking tone: “Their fate is sealed.”
After the group stage draw, Morocco and Algeria landed in the same half of the bracket, meaning they can only meet if both make it to the semifinals.
Before dreaming of that, Morocco must beat Tanzania on Sunday 4 January, while Algeria face DR Congo on Tuesday 6 January in what is expected to be a tough and exciting encounter.
