Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has ignited widespread debate across African football after publicly rejecting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title awarded to his country, insisting that Senegal are the rightful winners.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender distanced himself from the ruling by the Confederation of African Football, stating that he could not accept a trophy his team did not win on the field of play.
“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do the same. We had a chance but failed to win,” Hakimi said.
His comments follow a controversial decision by CAF’s Appeal Board on March 17, 2026, which overturned Morocco’s loss to the Senegal national football team in the final. The original result, which saw Senegal emerge victorious, was nullified after a walk-off incident, with CAF awarding Morocco a 3–0 win in line with its forfeiture rules.
However, Hakimi made it clear that the administrative decision does not align with the reality of the match.
“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 hard work,” he said.
In rejecting the title, Hakimi emphasized the importance of sporting integrity over official recognition, even while acknowledging CAF’s authority as the governing body.
“I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win the 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again,” he added.
Morocco had gone into the tournament as one of the favourites, but their defeat in the final appeared settled before the controversy that later altered the outcome.
The decision has since triggered a strong response from Senegalese authorities. The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected CAF’s ruling and is preparing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), setting the stage for a potentially protracted legal dispute.
Hakimi’s stance has drawn mixed reactions, with many praising his commitment to fair play and honesty, while others question the implications of a player publicly opposing a governing body’s decision.
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