The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between Morocco and Senegal was an embarrassing night for football on the continent. The damage to African football’s reputation will be long-lasting.
A match that promised a lot between two high-quality teams produced stunning scenes of outrage and chaos in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Once the dust settles, the investigation will begin.
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In a tight final, trouble ensued as the 0-0 tie entered extra time. Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr appeared to have scored, only for the goal to be disallowed by referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, who ruled that Abdoulaye Sek had fouled Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi. It was a decision that clearly upset Senegal coach Pape Thiau.
Chaos followed. In the final minute of added time, Morocco’s Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz hit the ground and made a strong appeal for a penalty. After a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, where Ndala was booed by the cheating coach and players, a highly controversial penalty was awarded and Morocco had a chance to win at the death.
It was then that the sparks of conflict turned into fire. Thia thought Senegal had been cheated and had a case, but he took the final into dangerous territory when he led his team off the field and down the tunnel. It took more than 17 minutes for play to resume and objects were thrown from the crowd and some fans invaded the pitch. Theo later admits that he shouldn’t have taken this action, but the damage was done.
Diaz’s ‘Panenka’ mistake cost the host nation dearly
Tensions at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium could have led to more ugly scenes before heading to the penalty spot and the ball falling into Diaz’s hands, while Senegal’s players continued to complain bitterly. It was Morocco’s moment after a painful 50-year wait to become African champions.
What Diaz – who was the darling of the media with an AFCON 2025 tournament-high five goals – did next describes the madness of the night.
Clearly, he attempted a “Panenka” chip, but embarrassingly, the Real Madrid winger put the ball straight into the hands of Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The stadium’s 66,000-plus home crowd struggled to comprehend what had just happened.
And when extra time started, there was another shock for the Moroccan fans, as Pape Gueye scored a brilliant winner for Senegal in what would have been a memorable moment had the final not already been a total mess.
Senegal became the champion of Africa for the second time. In terms of football, they deserved it. But the final round of inquiries will mean the celebrations will be overshadowed by the allegations.
Disciplinary measures are likely to follow
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who attended the final, condemned the “ugly scenes” on Instagram.
Infantino called it “unacceptable to leave the field of play like this” and “violence cannot be tolerated in our sport”, adding that “decisions made by match officials must always be respected”.
The finals are likely to bring harsh disciplinary measures from the tournament’s governing body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has spoiled its big showpiece.
Moroccan coach Walid Regragui called the scenes “shameful” and added that they “do not honor Africa”.
Strict measures are likely to be taken against Thea, whose media briefing had to be canceled due to further unrest in the press room. But he’s not the only one facing scrutiny.
Before the final, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) expressed concerns about security at the tournament, saying its players and staff were “at risk”. The FSF also raised concerns over the allocation of training pitches, hotels and tickets for the finals.
There was much criticism of the proceedings in the finals. Congolese referee Ndala had calmed down under intense pressure as the Senegalese players departed, though his decision-making in stoppage time was puzzling. Did Sek really foul Hakimi? It seemed a harsh call on the Senegalese player. And why didn’t the referee consult VAR?
So did Morocco’s Diaz go down too easily under seemingly innocuous pressure from Senegal’s El Hadji Malik Diouf? Well, Ndala was unfazed at first, then he seemed to succumb to the pressure of the pleading Diaz and the crowd. It will be difficult for the hosts to make such a decision. Two were inflammatory.
Claims of host nation favoritism
Cameroon coach Regragui felt the need to publicly deny claims of favoritism towards the host nation hanging around this AFCON after two penalties were denied by Cameroon in their quarter-final win over Morocco.
Conspiracy theories detracted from the praise Morocco otherwise received as the tournament’s host nation, with Egypt and Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah thanking the organizers and saying: “I have never participated in a tournament with such a high level of organization in Africa.”
That would have been the last thing on the minds of the tearful Moroccan fans who left the stadium on Sunday night and who gathered across the country to celebrate. It was none of their fault and it was easy to feel sorry for them. The rain captured the moment. Hopes and dreams faded. The wait to become a champion would continue.
Until late in the finals, it seemed that the prevailing story of AFCON 2025 would be about the improved standards of African football and whether the top-ranked African teams, at least Senegal and Morocco, could even go deep into June’s FIFA World Cup. Maybe make history.
After reaching the semi-finals in Qatar, and years of investment in youth football still bearing fruit, it would be remiss to underestimate Morocco’s ability to defeat football’s biggest nations. The same applies to Senegal, whose players also light up the European leagues, coming together as a formidable force when representing the Lions of Teranga.
But in Rabat, it was negligence from coaches, players and fans that dragged African football’s rising reputation into the mud. Infantino has already made it clear that such scenes will not be tolerated in Africa or elsewhere.
The only man to improve his reputation since the final fiasco was Senegal star Sadio Mane, who appeared reluctant to leave the pitch and pleaded with his teammates to return. He also tried to calm the fury of the Senegalese fans after two controversial decisions.
Football fans everywhere should celebrate Senegal’s success and the quality of both finals. Instead, we will remember the inglorious scenes in the World Cup co-host country in four years.
The responsibility of CAF and its disciplinary arm to give the final word to AFCON 2025 is over. With her reputation seriously damaged and FIFA needing to please, don’t be surprised if more drama ensues.
