Former Morocco coach Walid Regragui has criticized former Senegal coach Pape Thiaw over the controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, saying his decision “tarnishes African football.”
Speaking on French broadcaster Canal+, where he now works as a consultant, Regragui said both sides made decisions during the match that “have no place on a football pitch.”
“The biggest loser today is African football,” Regragui said.
“On television around the world, we could have celebrated and shown that African football had reached another level, with extraordinary stadiums that meet European standards,” he added, according to French outlet Ouest-France.
The Morocco-Senegal final became controversial after Senegal’s players temporarily left the pitch following a disputed penalty awarded to Morocco in the closing moments of the match.
The Senegalese team later returned, and Senegal went on to win the match in extra time.
The controversy did not end with the final whistle. The Confederation of African Football’s Appeals Jury later awarded Morocco a 3-0 forfeit victory and the AFCON title.
Regragui said he had tried to view the incident from the perspective of an international audience watching a continental final.
“I put myself in the place of someone anywhere in the world who wants to watch an African final,” he said, arguing that the events displayed “all the negative perceptions of African football.”
Senegal has appealed the CAF Appeals Jury’s decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking to have the ruling overturned and Senegal declared the tournament champion.
The CAS hearing is scheduled for Oct. 8 and will be held behind closed doors.
The arbitration panel is expected to begin deliberations after the hearing, although CAS has not specified when it will issue its decision.
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