The Paris Saint-Germain defender insisted that Morocco did not deserve the trophy after losing the final to Senegal on the pitch.

Achraf Hakimi, captain of the Morocco national team, has declined to accept the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title granted to Morocco after a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football.

The Paris Saint-Germain defender insisted that Morocco did not deserve the trophy after losing the final to Senegal on the pitch.

Morocco had lost the final to Senegal, but the CAF Appeal Board on March 17, 2026, overturned the 1–0 result, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory after ruling that Senegal’s walk-off constituted a forfeiture.

The decision has since generated debate, with Senegal’s football federation already indicating plans to challenge the verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Reacting to the development, Hakimi distanced himself from the decision, stating that he could not accept a title he did not earn competitively.

“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do same. We had a chance but failed to win,” he said.

He maintained that Senegal deserved the victory based on their performance in the final.

“That’s football, sometimes you win and lose. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It will be unfair to ruin their joy after the hardwork,” Hakimi added.

The Moroccan captain emphasised respect for fair play, noting that accepting the trophy under such circumstances would undermine the spirit of the game.

“I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again,” he said.

Hakimi’s decision represents a rare moment in football, where a player publicly declines recognition in favour of sporting integrity.

Morocco had entered the tournament as one of the favourites but fell short in the final, while Senegal’s performance was widely regarded as deserving of the title before the post-match controversy.

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Guinea Football Federation has called on the Confederation of African Football to review the outcome of the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, citing what it describes as inconsistencies following a recent ruling involving Senegal.

The appeal comes after CAF stripped Senegal of the 2025 AFCON title over a walkout incident and awarded victory to hosts Morocco, despite Senegal having won on the pitch.

Guinea’s football authorities argue that similar disciplinary standards should be applied retroactively, pointing to a key moment during the 1976 tournament, which was decided through a four-team round-robin format.

In the decisive match between Morocco and Guinea, the latter took the lead in the 33rd minute through Chérif Souleymane. Moroccan players briefly left the pitch in protest over a refereeing decision before returning to continue the game. Ahmed Makrouh later equalised in the 86th minute, securing a 1-1 draw that allowed Morocco to win the title with five points, while Guinea finished second.

Guinea has now urged CAF to reassess that result under the same principles applied in the 2025 ruling. “Give us back our 1976 AFCON trophy,” the federation said, adding that sanctions should apply in cases where teams walk off the pitch during matches.

The recent CAF decision to award Morocco a 3-0 victory over Senegal has reignited debate over historical officiating and disciplinary standards, with Guinea arguing that consistency should extend to past tournaments.

However, sports legal analysts have noted that regulations such as Article 84, cited in the Senegal case, were not in force in 1976 and are rarely applied retroactively. CAF has yet to respond to the request, with observers suggesting the appeal could test the organisation’s willingness to revisit historical decisions.

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