Former France international Patrice Evra has strongly criticised the Confederation of African Football following its decision to strip Senegal national football team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco national football team.
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‎Describing the ruling as a “disgrace” and a “scandal”, Evra said the decision undermines the credibility of African football’s flagship competition.
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‎“This is a disgrace for African football. A scandal. We all saw with our own eyes that Senegal won,” he said. “The Africa Cup of Nations has really lost all its credibility. When I got the notification, I thought it was an April Fool’s joke.”
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‎CAF’s decision follows a dramatic review of the final, in which Senegal had beaten Morocco 1-0 on the pitch. However, the result was overturned after the governing body ruled that Senegal breached competition regulations by briefly walking off in protest after a penalty was awarded against them.
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‎Under Article 84 of the tournament rules, the match was deemed forfeited, and officially recorded as a 3-0 victory in favour of Morocco.
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‎The controversial moment came late in the game when Morocco were awarded a decisive penalty, which Brahim Díaz failed to convert. Senegal went on to secure victory in normal play, appearing to have clinched the title before the subsequent disciplinary ruling.
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‎In a statement, CAF confirmed that the actions of the Senegalese players during the match led to the Appeals Board’s decision to award the title to Moroccan.
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‎Evra, however, questioned the integrity of the process, suggesting such decisions are damaging the sport’s reputation.
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‎“Nothing surprises me in football anymore, and that’s why I watch it less, because decisions like this are a scandal,” he added.
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‎The ruling is expected to spark widespread debate across the football world, marking one of the most contentious conclusions in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.