African Football Discussion Thread Current Topic: 👉 AFCON 2025/2026

[Nheer]

According to the statement of the Senegalese coach, he said that even though they had lost the game after they returned into the pitch, the walking out was meant to send a strong message across to caf that African football is not used to robbery of this magnitude, and that they wouldn't accept it by stay silent, hoping to complain after they have lost the trophy, so it was a protest that is worth it.
The Moroccans may have file a complaint or do what ever they wishes afterwards, but it can never change the fact that Senegal are the recognized champions regardless of the final decision of caf.

It's true that the Officiating in the AFCON was obvious they are siding Morocco because not just one country complained but almost all countries that played against Morocco. It's very unfair and I the stunt they pulled in all their games against opposition goalkeepers made everything worse. If not that they over did it nobody will blame them this way rather they will pour it all on the referees for being biased. The Senegal coach reacting that way and telling the players to leave the pitch is so unprofessional and saying it's a way of sending message to CAF is wrong, if you want to send message to CAF are better ways you can do that instead of asking the players to leave the pitch like it's a local street competition.

[Barikui1]

It's true that the Officiating in the AFCON was obvious they are siding Morocco because not just one country complained but almost all countries that played against Morocco. It's very unfair and I the stunt they pulled in all their games against opposition goalkeepers made everything worse. If not that they over did it nobody will blame them this way rather they will pour it all on the referees for being biased. The Senegal coach reacting that way and telling the players to leave the pitch is so unprofessional and saying it's a way of sending message to CAF is wrong, if you want to send message to CAF are better ways you can do that instead of asking the players to leave the pitch like it's a local street competition.

If am not wrong, this year afcon is the most scandalous afcon ever. No afcon that i have watched that is this obvious that caf wanted the host nation to win it, so why is it that Moroccan own are different.
 I have come to understand something in this life that bad or corrupt people are having more of their way easily in most organizations or society because people that should be saying something or doing something are staying silent because they just don't want to be seen as the bad guy, they prefer playing it safe. The Senegalese coach might be seen as the villain in the eyes of caf, but he is a national hero to the Senegalese, and they would have wave his complaint away or the whole world wouldn't be talking about it if he didn't react that way. And yes, his actions was unprofessional, but it's worth it, because desperate times needs desperate measures.

[CryptSafe]

snip~snip~

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xxxxxxxSince CAF has investigated the Algeria and Nigeria game, they should now investigate the Morocco vs Nigeria and Senegal vs Morocco games so that they can find out the reason why Morocco's ball boys, stewards, and players were so interested in taking goalkeepers' towels in the Afcon tournament, and CAF should also fine Morocco for their misconduct in the games i mentioned above so that such thing will not happen again in the upcoming Afcon tournaments.

CAF has already taken measures for that move by removing the head of the Disciplinary Committee to make sure the process is void of bias and poor judgment because Ousmane Kane is said to be a Senegalese and for that matter he would need to step down which we all know is the right thing to do for a neutral party to take over so that the both parties would not agitate after the jugdement as a result of the outcome of the investigation.

Source

[SatoPrincess]

I just saw an article that Morocco have filed a complaint to FIFA over Senegal walk-out during the final. According to FIFA rules, the penalty is a 3 nil forfeit. What do you think will happen, and would you think it’s fair if FIFA awards the trophy to Morocco because referee bias or not, Senegal was wrong to walk off the pitch.

I'm not surprised that Morocco has filed a complaint to FIFA over Senegal walking out of the field in the final because Morocco is desperate to win the model African Cup of Nations, and even though FIFA awarded the African Cup of Nations to Morocco, a lot of African countries won't recognize Morocco as the winner of the 2025 African Cup of Nations. I will always back Senegal for walking out of the field in the final because that singular act stopped Morocco from trying to use the back door to win the African Cup of Nations.

I  don’t believe leaving the pitch mid-game stopped any shenanigans from the referee or the Morocco players. My hot take is that you can’t fix football by walking out on a game. I also don’t think it made any sense to award Morocco the Fair Play Award after seeing how they fought other teams over towels.

[Roseline492]

CAF has already taken measures for that move by removing the head of the Disciplinary Committee to make sure the process is void of bias and poor judgment because Ousmane Kane is said to be a Senegalese and for that matter he would need to step down which we all know is the right thing to do for a nuetral party to take over so that the both parties would not agitate after the jugdement as a result of the outcome of the investigation.

Source

That's right because to have the right investigation any involvement concerning those two countries will not be among the team that would perform the investigation because there decision can be influenced by negative and selfish reasons because no person in Senegal would agree they violated anything, neither would any Moroccan admit to a favouritism from the referee, even the referee might also be investigated since the case had been taking serious, the incident had giving him a dot because even if in the next tournaments they were going to make him an official referee they wouldn't do it because of this final.

[Zigabel]

It's true that the Officiating in the AFCON was obvious they are siding Morocco because not just one country complained but almost all countries that played against Morocco. It's very unfair and I the stunt they pulled in all their games against opposition goalkeepers made everything worse. If not that they over did it nobody will blame them this way rather they will pour it all on the referees for being biased. The Senegal coach reacting that way and telling the players to leave the pitch is so unprofessional and saying it's a way of sending message to CAF is wrong, if you want to send message to CAF are better ways you can do that instead of asking the players to leave the pitch like it's a local street competition.

Generally the officiating was poor asides this Morocco issue, even with some other countries there were complains at some point about  the very poor officiating, but anyway we praying that someday Africa gets passed this and for the reaction of the Senegalese coach, I support him 100% he didn't go wrong for me, and that is because it was just too obvious and clear, and I believe if he had not done that, Morocco would have won, they would have clearly officiated with impunity to the advantage of Morocco.  It was after the immediate protest we saw some fair play with the officiating, Hosting doesn't automatically gives you the wining advantage, you mustn't win because you hosted. Other African countries should begin to take note that hosting doesn't give them  the title automatically, they will have to work hard to earn it and the officiating really needs some more attention in other to get it wright with it.

[Lida93]

For a country like Nigeria to be celebrating a third position is ridiculously unbelievable. Who cares about it when even the second in position hard to cry their ass out because they'll expecting to win. Every country are looking ahead to be the number that will take the cup and for the super eagle to fail us by ending with a third position, is a ridicule that should not be celebrated.

Every citizen expected the best from their country and as much as Nigeria was one of the most informed team with superstar players in the AFCON tournament and every Nigerian expected the Super Eagles to be in their best performance to win the AFCON. It wasn't for the third place is though not as bad as it should be when compared to other nations that didn't even get there I think we should be most disappointed that Nigeria didn't qualify for the WC more than where they finished in the AFCON.

[Different patterns]

It's true that the Officiating in the AFCON was obvious they are siding Morocco because not just one country complained but almost all countries that played against Morocco. It's very unfair and I the stunt they pulled in all their games against opposition goalkeepers made everything worse. If not that they over did it nobody will blame them this way rather they will pour it all on the referees for being biased. The Senegal coach reacting that way and telling the players to leave the pitch is so unprofessional and saying it's a way of sending message to CAF is wrong, if you want to send message to CAF are better ways you can do that instead of asking the players to leave the pitch like it's a local street competition.

If am not wrong, this year afcon is the most scandalous afcon ever. No afcon that i have watched that is this obvious that caf wanted the host nation to win it, so why is it that Moroccan own are different.
 I have come to understand something in this life that bad or corrupt people are having more of their way easily in most organizations or society because people that should be saying something or doing something are staying silent because they just don't want to be seen as the bad guy, they prefer playing it safe. The Senegalese coach might be seen as the villain in the eyes of caf, but he is a national hero to the Senegalese, and they would have wave his complaint away or the whole world wouldn't be talking about it if he didn't react that way. And yes, his actions was unprofessional, but it's worth it, because desperate times needs desperate measures.

This year's afcon have proven beyond measure the corruption afcon because prior to the final, in the game between Nigeria and Morocco, Nigerian fans only got little tickets and somehow (as I heard) the Moroccan fans got their way into that same place Nigerian fans are. Football is meant to bring us together not to divide us and the moment we begin to allow corruption in anything we do as Africans, then we won't progress. We really need to leave any form of corruption and play with passion and Love. We are one.

[Mayor of ogba]

I just saw an article that Morocco have filed a complaint to FIFA over Senegal walk-out during the final. According to FIFA rules, the penalty is a 3 nil forfeit. What do you think will happen, and would you think it’s fair if FIFA awards the trophy to Morocco because referee bias or not, Senegal was wrong to walk off the pitch.

I'm not surprised that Morocco has filed a complaint to FIFA over Senegal walking out of the field in the final because Morocco is desperate to win the model African Cup of Nations, and even though FIFA awarded the African Cup of Nations to Morocco, a lot of African countries won't recognize Morocco as the winner of the 2025 African Cup of Nations. I will always back Senegal for walking out of the field in the final because that singular act stopped Morocco from trying to use the back door to win the African Cup of Nations.

I  don’t believe leaving the pitch mid-game stopped any shenanigans from the referee or the Morocco players. My hot take is that you can’t fix football by walking out on a game. I also don’t think it made any sense to award Morocco the Fair Play Award after seeing how they fought other teams over towels.

Yes, I agree with you that Senegal players leaving the field mid-game didn't stopped the referee or the Morocco players from doing what would make Morocco win the African Cup of Nations. Since the referee wanted to help Morocco win the African Cup of Nations, Senegal's coach asked his players to leave the field mid-game so that it would be easier for Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and that act helped Senegal end up as the champions for this year's African Cup of Nations. CAF wants Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and since Morocco didn't win it, CAF has no choice but to award them the fair play award.

[Oluwa-btc]

In the face of injustice, I'm one of those people who will also walk away without hesitation and with my full chest.

Walking away was an emotional reaction from the Senegalese coach, and that was not the best way to react because acting emotionally shows that he was not in control of his emotions, which is not the best for a manager.
We can justify that the Senegalese had a right to be angry at the penalty decision, but walking away was not the best; it would have cost them the competition and even more had Sadio Mane not kept a cool head.

he will remain a huge role model to other young Africans in the face of injustice.

He shouldn't; Mane should rather be the role model.

I will never be one of those Africans who considered the actions of the Senegalese manager as cowardice or emotional.

Wow!! All of a sudden, i can't believe refusing to be fumbled and robbed will be seen as emotional. Jesus Fvckn Christ!!! Remarks like this is why Nigeria will never get better,  straight up injustice in front of our eyes and a subpar officiating and the Senegalese shouldn't have walked out?! Well, no words furthermore. One thing will be remembered to all Africans, the Senegalese national team said no to injustice.

Well, he's been awarded a huge tittle in his country already. He will most definitely be a role model.

[Fiatless]

Yes, I agree with you that Senegal players leaving the field mid-game didn't stopped the referee or the Morocco players from doing what would make Morocco win the African Cup of Nations. Since the referee wanted to help Morocco win the African Cup of Nations, Senegal's coach asked his players to leave the field mid-game so that it would be easier for Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and that act helped Senegal end up as the champions for this year's African Cup of Nations. CAF wants Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and since Morocco didn't win it, CAF has no choice but to award them the fair play award.

I am wondering on which basis Morocco won the fair play award. A team that is well known for all forms of cunning strategy. They bully players and adopt deceptive tendencies to win games. The match officials were influenced to help them win games. This is the beauty of sports games like soccer; games cannot be totally influenced. Another factor was that Senegal had a good team, which was why the game was hard to influence.   

[Jaycoinz]

Yes, I agree with you that Senegal players leaving the field mid-game didn't stopped the referee or the Morocco players from doing what would make Morocco win the African Cup of Nations. Since the referee wanted to help Morocco win the African Cup of Nations, Senegal's coach asked his players to leave the field mid-game so that it would be easier for Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and that act helped Senegal end up as the champions for this year's African Cup of Nations. CAF wants Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and since Morocco didn't win it, CAF has no choice but to award them the fair play award.

I am wondering on which basis Morocco won the fair play award. A team that is well known for all forms of cunning strategy. They bully players and adopt deceptive tendencies to win games. The match officials were influenced to help them win games. This is the beauty of sports games like soccer; games cannot be totally influenced. Another factor was that Senegal had a good team, which was why the game was hard to influence.   

They won also by cheating😅😅 how convenient is that because if they actually mean the award they gave to Morocco then it just shows that the penalty on the final was a planned attempt at missing it because there is no way possible that a team which clearly showed their tactics of collecting the opponents towel meant for the goalkeeper would have won the award for fairplay or is it that they just had to do something like compensating because they lost the finals. Well for me am okay with whatever results they give them just for the fact they didn't win the trophy is well okay with me.

[Floxynice]

According to the statement of the Senegalese coach, he said that even though they had lost the game after they returned into the pitch, the walking out was meant to send a strong message across to caf that African football is not used to robbery of this magnitude, and that they wouldn't accept it by stay silent, hoping to complain after they have lost the trophy, so it was a protest that is worth it.
The Moroccans may have file a complaint or do what ever they wishes afterwards, but it can never change the fact that Senegal are the recognized champions regardless of the final decision of caf.

If Africa will remove politics in our football, it will go a long way to compete with the European football. I don't understand why favouritism will be so obvious in the African football. This was so obvious in the Morroco and Cameroon match. I felt for the Cameroonians and it was after that match that I understood and believed that Nigeria cannot eliminate Morroco.

On the day of Nigeria verse Morocco, I went to my cousin's viewing center where it was almost all boys. I sat, plugged my phone and wanted to watch but the whole football was happening in the Nigerian side. In order to save myself the stress I went home and heard the scores in the morning. So, I was not surprised what happened in the final and the worse part was the drama with goalkeeper's face towel.

[CryptSafe]

CAF has already taken measures for that move by removing the head of the Disciplinary Committee to make sure the process is void of bias and poor judgment because Ousmane Kane is said to be a Senegalese and for that matter he would need to step down which we all know is the right thing to do for a nuetral party to take over so that the both parties would not agitate after the jugdement as a result of the outcome of the investigation.

Source

That's right because to have the right investigation any involvement concerning those two countries will not be among the team that would perform the investigation because there decision can be influenced by negative and selfish reasons because no person in Senegal would agree they violated anything, neither would any Moroccan admit to a favouritism from the referee, even the referee might also be investigated since the case had been taking serious, the incident had giving him a dot because even if in the next tournaments they were going to make him an official referee they wouldn't do it because of this final.

I believe everything about the match would be investigated, including the referee as well, because the game was marred with irregularities from the beginning to the end, and it would be right to make sure disciplinary measures are taken to forestall any future occurrences before it becomes a custom in the AFCON Tournament.

In situations such as this, all committee members would be neutral bodies who would be void of bias so that accurate and appropriate sanctions could be taken without fear or favour, and I believe both teams would abide by the decision, or they face sanction from the football governing body.

[Iroh]

According to the statement of the Senegalese coach, he said that even though they had lost the game after they returned into the pitch, the walking out was meant to send a strong message across to caf that African football is not used to robbery of this magnitude, and that they wouldn't accept it by stay silent, hoping to complain after they have lost the trophy, so it was a protest that is worth it.
The Moroccans may have file a complaint or do what ever they wishes afterwards, but it can never change the fact that Senegal are the recognized champions regardless of the final decision of caf.

Yeah, Senegal has already won the tournament and no complaints from any country can change that now. While it's in their right to lay complaints if they have, I think Morocco is just being a sore loser. I do support Senegal and I'm glad they went on to score and win the game, winning the tournament in the end.
But then, let's call a spade a spade. What Senegal did, walking out and off the field when the game was still at play was plain wrong. I get there may have been frustrated due to several reasons but there shouldn't have walked off the field. While the action may be considered a "strong message" to whoever, i think it's still a wrong way to send a message.

[SatoPrincess]

I agree with you that there's nothing special about the Super Eagles finishing third place in the just concluded African Cup of Nations, but I totally disagree with you for saying the Super Eagles didn't perform well in the African Cup of Nations because this set of Super Eagles players, this is the African Cup of Nations or tournament they performed so well that they dominated most of their opponents in ball possession and also scored a lot of goals easily, and if not for some Super Eagles players messing up during the penalty shootout against Morocco, the Super Eagles would have played in the final. I don't know if you have anything with the Super Eagles because you have been talking down on the Super Eagles and discrediting their good efforts in the African Cup of Nations. I think you should try and make peace with the Super Eagles so you can see how good the Super Eagles are playing right now.

Considering all the drama that happened in the final, I’m relieved that Nigeria didn’t make it to the finals. It would have been a lot worse than what we saw with Morocco vs Senegal.

Well, he's been awarded a huge tittle in his country already. He will most definitely be a role model.

What about the Senegal manager? Did he also get a huge title?

[Wakate]

Every citizen expected the best from their country and as much as Nigeria was one of the most informed team with superstar players in the AFCON tournament and every Nigerian expected the Super Eagles to be in their best performance to win the AFCON. It wasn't for the third place is though not as bad as it should be when compared to other nations that didn't even get there I think we should be most disappointed that Nigeria didn't qualify for the WC more than where they finished in the AFCON.

The super eagle really strived to get the third position and if not that, they could have end up with nothing.
That shows that luck is not in their side this time that many people were expecting the them to at least come out the top position since they were not able to qualify for the world cup position. Well accept the outcome of the tournament.

[EL MOHA]

Every citizen expected the best from their country and as much as Nigeria was one of the most informed team with superstar players in the AFCON tournament and every Nigerian expected the Super Eagles to be in their best performance to win the AFCON. It wasn't for the third place is though not as bad as it should be when compared to other nations that didn't even get there I think we should be most disappointed that Nigeria didn't qualify for the WC more than where they finished in the AFCON.

In honesty the Nigerian national team actually did performed really well I am not even looking at the results or the third place finish but performance of the team, I think except the Morocco game which we all know had some circumstances I think Nigeria dominated just every side they face in the tournament and sincerely speaking this is actually down to one Man which was Eric Chelle I think he deserves his flowers in my opinion, he isn’t celebrated yet as he should.

I even heard his contract will actually expire anything 2027 and with failure to secure both AFCON and World Cup qualification he might be relieved of his role and personally I think that’s the biggest mistake that the country will be making because if there is anything he should be encouraged to actually build on the current momentum. None of the two countries dominating Africa (Senegal and Morocco) actually had it in one year it was years of building

[Mayor of ogba]

Yes, I agree with you that Senegal players leaving the field mid-game didn't stopped the referee or the Morocco players from doing what would make Morocco win the African Cup of Nations. Since the referee wanted to help Morocco win the African Cup of Nations, Senegal's coach asked his players to leave the field mid-game so that it would be easier for Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and that act helped Senegal end up as the champions for this year's African Cup of Nations. CAF wants Morocco to win the African Cup of Nations, and since Morocco didn't win it, CAF has no choice but to award them the fair play award.

I am wondering on which basis Morocco won the fair play award. A team that is well known for all forms of cunning strategy. They bully players and adopt deceptive tendencies to win games. The match officials were influenced to help them win games. This is the beauty of sports games like soccer; games cannot be totally influenced. Another factor was that Senegal had a good team, which was why the game was hard to influence.   

Morocco won the fair play award on the basis that they are CAF pet. The match officials already influenced the Senegal and Morocco match, but what made the match officials' and CAF's plan not come to light was the decision the Senegal coach took by asking his players to walk out of the field so that it would be easy for CAF to award Morocco the African Cup of Nations since Senegal refused to complete the match.

[SatoPrincess]

I am wondering on which basis Morocco won the fair play award. A team that is well known for all forms of cunning strategy. They bully players and adopt deceptive tendencies to win games. The match officials were influenced to help them win games. This is the beauty of sports games like soccer; games cannot be totally influenced. Another factor was that Senegal had a good team, which was why the game was hard to influence.   

Your best guess is as good as mine. What infuriates me most is that the Moroccan journalists were not professional about the match at all. It was very shameful how they left the post-match press conference when the Senegal manager came in. Morocco felt entitled to the AFCON as if hosting the tournament was a favor to Africa.