An extraordinary situation has unfolded in African football, with Walid Regragui being linked to Morocco’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title despite stepping down before the final decision was announced.
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‎Regragui had already resigned as head coach before the Confederation of African Football delivered its ruling on the disputed final against Senegal.
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‎CAF later overturned Senegal’s on-field victory, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win after determining that Senegal had breached competition regulations by temporarily leaving the pitch during the match.
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The decision handed Morocco the title, but only after Regragui had departed his role, creating a rare scenario in which a coach is associated with a major international triumph confirmed after his resignation.
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‎The unusual sequence of events has added to the controversy surrounding the 2025 tournament, already overshadowed by a prolonged dispute over the final.
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‎Reactions across the football community have been strong, with some observers questioning both the circumstances of the match and the disciplinary process that followed. Critics have gone as far as describing the outcome as a “stolen AFCON”.
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‎At the heart of the ruling was Senegal’s brief withdrawal from the field, which CAF judged to be a violation serious enough to warrant forfeiture, a decision that ultimately reshaped the tournament’s outcome.
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‎Senegalese officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and are considering taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, raising the prospect of a further legal battle.
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‎Regardless of the outcome of any appeal, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is likely to be remembered as one of the most contentious in the competition’s history.
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‎For Morocco, it marks another continental title, albeit under disputed circumstances. For Regragui, it secures a unique and unusual place in football history, tied to a victory confirmed only after his exit from the team.