Captain of Morocco’s national team, Achraf Hakimi, has publicly rejected the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, maintaining that his side did not earn the trophy on the pitch.
The Morocco national football team defender made the declaration following a controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award Morocco a 3–0 victory after overturning their 1–0 loss to the Senegal national football team in the final.
CAF’s Appeal Board ruled on March 17, 2026, that Senegal’s walk-off during the match constituted a forfeiture under tournament regulations, effectively handing Morocco the title.
However, Hakimi distanced himself from the decision, insisting he could not accept a championship he believes was not won fairly.
“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.
The Paris Saint-Germain star acknowledged Senegal’s performance, describing them as deserving champions and warning against undermining their achievement.
“That’s football—sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It would be unfair to ruin their joy after the hard work,” he added.
Hakimi emphasised that while he respects CAF’s authority, his personal stance remains unchanged.
“I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win AFCON 2025. Congratulations to Senegal once again,” he said.
The development marks a rare moment in international football, with a player openly declining official recognition in favour of sporting integrity.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation has announced plans to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, setting the stage for a potential legal battle over the tournament’s final outcome.
