African Cup of Nations overturned: Morocco wins, disqualification for Senegal

From disappointment on the pitch to triumph by decree. Two months after the defeat against Senegal in the Africa Cup final played in Rabat and lost 1-0 in extra time after a missed penalty kick by Brahim Diaz, which was immediately described as 'the game of shame', Morocco can celebrate winning the trophy.

The African Football Confederation upheld the appeal that the Moroccan Football Federation had lodged with the FIFA the day after, complaining about the momentary abandonment of the pitch by the Lions of the Teranga after the penalty awarded to Morocco in the final minutes of regulation time. "A situation," the federation stressed, "that had a heavy impact on the smooth running of the match and the performance of the players." In a statement, the Caf Appeals Committee announced that it had "decided, in accordance with Article 84 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations, to declare the Senegalese national team forfeited in the final of the 2025 African Cup of Nations, ratifying the result with a 3-0 victory for Morocco."

The aforementioned rule states that 'if, for any reason, a team leaves the field before the scheduled end of the match without the referee's permission, it will be considered the loser and will be definitively eliminated from the competition'. The final had been dubbed 'the match of shame' for Africa, given its surreal ending. "I apologise to football, I should not have withdrawn the team," said Senegal's coach, Pepe Thiaw, who had invited his team to return to the locker room after Diaz was awarded the penalty.

Sadio Mané, the Senegalese star, had managed to calm the waters and bring his teammates back in, but for ten minutes or so on the pitch and in the stands everything had happened. After the Real Madrid player's mistake from the penalty spot, in extra time came the decisive goal by Pape Gueye, which had moved the capital's stadium but ignited the controversy, so much so that Caf had turned a spotlight on what had happened. Two months later, the decision that changes history and tries to restore dignity to African football, which had come out of the affair rather badly.