Le Roy slams CAF decision to crown Morocco 2025 AFCON Champions ‎

The controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final has intensified after veteran coach Claude Le Roy criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its decision to award the title to Morocco national football team.

‎CAF’s Appeals Board ruled that Senegal national football team had forfeited the final after briefly walking off the pitch in protest during the match. As a result, the game has been officially recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, overturning Senegal’s 1-0 win on the field.

‎The decision, based on Articles 82 and 84 of the tournament regulations, has sparked widespread debate across the football world.

Le Roy, a long-time observer of African football, did not hold back in his assessment of the ruling.

‎“I think there were a lot of shady dealings to decide that Morocco are champions, it’s pitiful for the image that CAF is giving,” he said. “It feels like Morocco can get away with anything. This is only the beginning of the affair.”

The incident that triggered the ruling occurred late in the final, when Senegal’s players left the pitch following a series of contentious refereeing decisions, including a disallowed goal and a late penalty awarded to Morocco. Although they returned to complete the match, which they went ahead to win 1-0, CAF deemed the initial walk-off a breach of its rules.

Under the regulations, any team that abandons a match without the referee’s permission is considered to have lost, with the result recorded as a 3-0 forfeit.

The ruling means Senegal’s players, including captain Sadio Mané, are stripped of the title in official records, while Morocco’s squad, featuring Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz and Yassine Bounou are now recognised as champions.

‎However, the saga may not be over. Senegal are expected to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, raising the prospect of a prolonged legal battle.

While CAF maintains that its decision follows the letter of the law, the debate over fairness and sporting integrity continues to dominate discussion, with many fans insisting that what happened on the pitch cannot be erased.