Mahrez: Nigeria Had the Edge — the Referee Wasn't the Reason for Algeria's Exit
11 January 2026
Post-match reflections
Riyad Mahrez, captain of Algeria, addressed the ongoing debate about refereeing after the Desert Foxes were defeated 2-0 by Nigeria in the AFCON 2025 quarterfinal in Morocco.
Speaking after the match, he remained calm and refused to blame the referee for their elimination, while acknowledging Nigeria's superiority on the day.
The former Manchester City star noted that they faced a strong opponent and could have delivered a better performance, but ultimate success depends on on-field execution.
On officiating, he said the referee was not perfect, but that was not the reason for the loss; conversations about referees persist, yet the result is decided on the pitch.
Mahrez, who helped Algeria win the 2019 AFCON title by beating Senegal in Cairo, remains a central figure as the team analyses what went wrong.
Takeaways
The Algeria captain's remarks come as the team looks to regroup ahead of future fixtures, emphasizing accountability on the pitch and continuing to push for improvements in attack and defense.
Punchline 1: If football were math, Nigeria solved the problem; Algeria forgot to carry the one.
Punchline 2: If the whistle had a soundtrack, it would be stuck in the locker room while we grab shawarma.
