Captain of Morocco’s national team, Achraf Hakimi, has publicly declined recognition as winner of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, maintaining that Senegal rightfully earned the title.
The Morocco national football team skipper said he and his teammates do not deserve the trophy following their defeat to Senegal national football team in the final.
Hakimi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, stated that regardless of any ruling by Confederation of African Football, he cannot accept a title he believes was not won on the pitch.
“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do the same. We had our chance but failed,” he said.
He acknowledged Senegal’s performance, describing them as deserving winners and warning against any action that could diminish their achievement.
“That’s football—you win some, you lose some. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It would be unfair to ruin their joy after the hard work,” Hakimi added.
While expressing respect for CAF’s authority, the defender reiterated his stance: “I respect the CAF decision, but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win the 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again.”
His reaction follows a controversial decision by CAF’s Appeal Board on March 17, 2026, which awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory after ruling that Senegal’s walk-off amounted to forfeiture, overturning the original 1-0 result.
However, the Senegalese Football Federation has announced plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Hakimi’s position has drawn attention across the football world, highlighting a rare display of sportsmanship amid a disputed tournament outcome.
