Luca Zidane was at the centre of a heated confrontation after the final whistle of Algeria’s 2-0 defeat by Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final, an incident that overshadowed what had been a decisive victory for the Super Eagles.
The 27-year-old Granada goalkeeper, son of former France star Zinedine Zidane, became involved in a brawl moments after the match had ended, as Nigeria sealed qualification for a semi-final against hosts Morocco.
The clash erupted when Zidane exchanged angry words with Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, before the dispute escalated into a physical altercation involving players and staff from both sides.
Witnesses reported that the confrontation began as a verbal exchange but rapidly intensified.
Zidane was later seen confronting Club Brugge midfielder Raphaël Onyedika, while several Nigerian players rushed in to pull Dele-Bashiru away in an attempt to calm the situation.
Match officials and team staff were also forced to intervene to prevent the melee from spiralling further.
The scenes came at the end of a frustrating evening for Algeria, whose tournament had started with such promise.
The Desert Foxes cruised through the group stage with three consecutive victories against Sudan, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea, raising hopes of a deep run.
That momentum was halted in the knockout rounds, first by a narrow 1-0 defeat to DR Congo in the round of 16, and then definitively by Nigeria in the quarter-final.
In the decisive contest, the Super Eagles were clinical.
Goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams secured a 2-0 win that not only ended Algeria’s campaign but also booked Nigeria a place in the semi-finals, where they will meet Morocco, widely regarded as favourites for the title.
While the match itself was played with high intensity, it was the post-match chaos that captured public attention.
Images and videos of the confrontation circulated rapidly online, prompting a wave of reactions from supporters across the continent.
As reported by The Sun, one fan wrote: ” It’s a disgrace!” expressing anger at the way the evening ended. Another added: “Too much frustration in this match, they let their emotions get the better of them.”
The comments reflected a broader sense of disappointment that such an incident should overshadow a quarter-final of this magnitude.
For Luca Zidane, the episode is an unfortunate footnote to a tournament in which Algeria had hoped to reassert themselves among Africa’s elite.
Luca Zidane s’est battu avec Fisayo Dele-Bashiru en fin de match… En deuxième partie de vidéo, le corps arbitral pris à partie par le staff algérien.
Fin de match catastrophique à Marrakech… https://t.co/ncMM5Ovt9a pic.twitter.com/Np456X9Vne
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) January 10, 2026
Instead, their exit is now inseparable from the ugly scenes after the final whistle, with questions likely to be asked about potential disciplinary consequences.
Nigeria, by contrast, were left to focus on their achievement rather than the disorder.
Their victory was built on efficiency and control, and their place in the last four marks another significant step in a campaign that now moves to a high-stakes meeting with the host nation.
Yet, despite the importance of that upcoming semi-final, the night will be remembered less for the goals that decided the contest and more for the confrontation that followed, a reminder of how quickly emotions can boil over at the highest level of competition.
