Morocco’s newly appointed head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, has thrown his full support behind the controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, describing it as “well-deserved.”
The ruling has sent shockwaves across African football after Senegal national football team were initially crowned champions following a 1-0 victory over Morocco national football team in Rabat.
However, CAF overturned the result after Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest over a late penalty awarded to Morocco during stoppage time.
Although the players later returned following intervention by captain Sadio Mane, the incident triggered disciplinary review, ultimately leading to Morocco being declared champions.
Reacting to the decision, Ouahbi congratulated the Moroccan team, federation, and fans, insisting justice had been served.
“This decision pleases everyone,” he said while unveiling his first squad ahead of upcoming friendlies.
Despite backing the ruling, the 49-year-old coach stressed the need to move forward, stating that his primary objective is to build a competitive squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
The decision has, however, sparked outrage in Senegal, with the Senegalese Football Federation rejecting the verdict and confirming plans to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), describing CAF’s action as “unjust.”
Earlier, CAF’s disciplinary committee had imposed fines on both nations for unsportsmanlike conduct but stopped short of altering the result—making the latest reversal even more controversial.
Morocco, who impressed at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will now look to build on this momentum as they prepare for upcoming international competitions.
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