Hocine Achiou's goal-scoring heroics at the African Nations Cup have earned the striker a new nickname - 'the Algerian Maradona.'
Standing at just 1.71m (5ft 7in), the 25-year-old is just two centimetres taller than the Argentinian legend but the comparison has been based on his sensational goal which beat Egypt 2-1 and helped send Algeria into a quarter-final clash here against Morocco on Sunday.
"It was a dream to score for my country," said the USM Alger player who has picked up his nickname courtesy of the Algerian media here.
"But to do it as a substitute and in such an important game was incredible."
His goal will go down as one of the best of the tournament.
With the scores locked at 1-1, Achiou picked up the ball from inside his own half, dribbled past three defenders on the edge of the area and then hit a sweet left foot shot past stunned Egyptian keeper Nader El-Sayed.
For many here, it brought back memories of Maradona's similar wizardry which bamboozled England in the 1986 World Cup.
"That goal killed Egypt's hopes," said Egypt coach Mohsen Salah.
To prove it was no fluke, Achiou was in the right place at the right time again in the final match against Zimbabwe when he headed in from close range in his team's 2-1 defeat.
Had he not scored, Egypt would have qualified for the quarter-finals ahead of Algeria on goal difference.
Not surprisingly, Achiou, the fifth of nine brothers, will not be on the bench on Sunday.
His starring role at the tournament has guaranteed him a starting place in the line-up for Sunday's north African derby.