Senegal Midfielder Sends Strong Message to CAF, Offers To Return AFCON Medals to Morocco
- Idrissa Gueye has offered to return the AFCON medal to Morocco after CAF stripped Senegal of the title
- The Everton midfielder has called the CAF ruling “ridiculous,” insisting titles are won on the pitch
- CAF has stated it will allow Senegal the right to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye has made headlines by offering to return his 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) medal in a bid to ease tensions between Senegal and Morocco.
The move comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of the title despite their on-pitch victory against Morocco in Rabat on January 18, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC Sport, the decision by CAF cited articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations, which outline sanctions for the conduct of national teams.
Senegal had protested a late penalty awarded to Morocco during the final, temporarily halting the match for over 15 minutes after walking into the dressing room.
Even after the controversy, Pape Thiaw’s men scored in extra time to secure the country’s second-ever AFCON title, only for the result to be annulled two months later by CAF.
The controversial AFCON final
Tension marred the final between Senegal and Morocco from the start.
Senegal players, led by Gueye, protested a late penalty, halting play for more than 15 minutes.
Although Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the spot-kick, Senegal went on to score in extra time and believed they had secured the championship.
The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football filed an appeal, and the CAF's decision overturned the result despite what happened on the field.
The decision sparked widespread criticism from players, officials, and fans, with many arguing it undermines the integrity of the game.
Gueye sends strong message to CAF
Gueye, speaking after Everton’s 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea, expressed his frustration but also his willingness to act diplomatically, Africa Soccer reports.
Source: Getty Images
“I personally commit to collecting the medals and maybe giving them back to Morocco if that can ease tensions between the two countries,” he said.
The Everton midfielder was candid about his view on the CAF ruling.
“It’s just ridiculous… a football match is won on the pitch, that’s what we did in Morocco. We did what we had to do on the pitch. We won that match. We deserve to be African champions.”
Gueye also questioned Senegal’s planned appeal, suggesting he would have advised the federation against it.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe emphasised Senegal’s right to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), stressing that all 54 African nations have equal rights to defend their interests.
As Senegal players and officials await the outcome of any potential CAS appeal, CAF has gone ahead to update all its official channels, confirming Morocco as the 2025 AFCON winners.
CAF releases new statement after AFCON verdict
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that CAF has updated the AFCON 2025 review section on its official website and declared Morocco as the winner, with Senegal dropping to runners-up, while Nigeria remains third.
However, an opening segment of the introductory statement still confirms Senegal as the champions and has yet to be updated or rewritten.
Source: Legit.ng
