‘This is real, not AI’: Senegal players react after CAF overturns AFCON final

2026-03-18 - 08:24

By Ayobami Okerinde Several players of the Senegal national football team have taken to social media to express their reactions after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in a controversial decision. CAF, on Tuesday night, declared Morocco’s national football team winners of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, 58 days after Senegal’s 1-0 victory in the final played in Rabat. In a statement, CAF said its Appeal Board ruled that Senegal forfeited the match in line with Article 84 of the competition’s regulations, awarding a 3-0 victory to Morocco. It read: “The CAF Appeal Board decided that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF). “The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Appeal Board decided today that in application of Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 (“the Match”), with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF).” The ruling follows the dramatic circumstances surrounding the final, where Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a contentious penalty in stoppage time. Although Captain, Sadio Mane, later convinced his teammates to return, with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saving the resulting spot-kick, Senegal eventually won the match in extra time before the result was overturned weeks later. Since CAF’s decision, several Senegal players have responded online, posting images and messages from the title win. Pathe Ciss posted a picture with the trophy, accompanied by laughing emojis, while defender Moussa Niakhate wrote: “This is not AI. This is real,” alongside images from the final. Image credit: Instagram/niakhate Midfielder Habib Diarra also shared photos of himself with the AFCON trophy, along with clips from the team’s celebratory parade in Dakar. Goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf shared a photo of the team lifting the trophy, captioning it: “In the eyes of the entire world.” Veteran midfielder Idrissa Gueye in a post on Instagram reflected on the win. He wrote “Titles, trophies, medals... all of that is fleeting. What truly matters is that every supporter can return home and be with their family. The Senegalese people have shown who they are: dignified in victory, dignified in adversity. That is Teranga. We know what we experienced that night in Rabat. And that, no one can ever take away from us, inch’Allah.” Image credit: Instagram/papite8 Defender El Hadji Malick Diouf added, “Some things can’t be bought or sent; they must be earned on the field,” while Ismail Jakobs shared moments from the team’s celebrations. Image Credit: Instagram/el_hadji_malick_diouf26 Vanguard earlier reported that in an official statement released on Wednesday, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) described the decision as “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable,” arguing that it undermines the integrity of African football. “The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football,” the FSF said. The federation confirmed it will file an appeal with CAS “as soon as possible” to defend its rights and the interests of Senegalese football. “The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter,” the statement added.