Brahim Diaz left stifling laughter as journalists brawl at Morocco World Cup press conference

Brahim Diaz’s pre-match press conference ahead of Morocco’s World Cup 2026 quarter-final against France was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when two journalists came to blows mid-session, forcing staff to intervene and briefly halting proceedings entirely.

Diaz, the Real Madrid midfielder, was fielding a question about his squad’s mentality when a sudden commotion broke out in the room. One journalist could be heard shouting: “But why did you hit me? But why did you hit me? You can’t hit me.” A press officer on stage attempted to restore calm, calling out: “Hey, hey, gentlemen, please, gentlemen,” but the altercation continued as the aggrieved reporter insisted he had been struck.

With the room in uproar, a visibly startled Diaz glanced into the crowd before struggling to keep a straight face. The former Manchester City man was barely able to suppress his smirks as the scene unfolded in front of him. Once the press officer managed to restore order — offering an apology to the player — Diaz admitted with a grin: “I forgot the question.”

The bizarre episode came as Morocco prepare for one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament. The Atlas Lions have been one of the stories of the World Cup in North America, progressing from a group that included Brazil, Scotland, and Haiti before eliminating the Netherlands on penalties in the round of 32. A commanding win over co-hosts Canada then secured their place in the last eight.

They now face France, widely regarded as pre-tournament favourites, in the quarter-finals. It is a repeat of sorts of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, where France edged Morocco 2-0 in what was a landmark run for the North African side — their first-ever World Cup semi-final appearance. Morocco will be hoping to go one step further this time around.

Diaz, who has been a key creative figure for Walid Regragui’s side throughout the tournament, will be central to their hopes of causing another upset. Whether Tuesday’s press conference will have done anything to sharpen his focus ahead of the match remains to be seen.