“An embarrassment” – Ex-Aston Villa midfielder slams CAF for awarding AFCON to Morocco

Former Aston Villa and West Ham United midfielder Nigel-Reo Coker has hit out at the governing body of African football for awarding the AFCON 2025 trophy to Morocco, Soccernet.ng reports.

The decision was made last night, just around the same time the Nigerian Football Federation confirmed that their appeal against DR Congo qualifying for the 2026 World Cup was rejected by FIFA.

On a night where thrilling UEFA Champions League games were in play, African football experienced another dramatic turn, probably the most dramatic in the 21st century.

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Morocco vs Senegal: What happened in the AFCON final

The build-up to the game had made many sense some foul play, considering too many favourable calls went Morocco's way in the semi-final against Nigeria.

The Senegalese players were not accompanied by security in Rabat, leaving them to the public at the train station.

Sadio Mane's men also had a goal chalked off due to an early foul call by the referee. However, all hell broke loose in the 95th minute when El Hadji Malick Diouf brought Brahim Diaz down from an inswinging corner kick.

Pape Thiaw's players didn't agree with the decision, and as such, walked off the field while their captain, Sadio Mane, remained.

The former Liverpool winger would eventually call his teammates back onto the pitch for the penalty to be taken, which was eventually missed by Brahim Diaz.

With nothing separating both sides, extra time resumed and four minutes into the first half, Villareal's Pape Gueye sent his shot beyond Yassine Bounou to seal the AFCON 2025 title for Senegal.

The atmosphere in the Stadium was grim, considering most of the fans were Moroccans. Also, it is worth noting that the ball boys were frustrating opposition goalkeepers by carting away their towels to the goalside.

Yesterday, CAF made an official announcement awarding Morocco the AFCON 2025 trophy. According to their official website, Senegal was declared to have forfeited the Afcon final against Morocco, and as such, the result of the match was recorded as 3–0 in favour of the host nation.

Nigel Reo-Coker: Ex-Aston Villa midfielder slams CAF

Now a pundit, the former West Ham and Aston Villa player, Reo-Coker, believes the decision CAF made was an embarrassment to the continent.

“CAF is an embarrassment. I'm of African heritage, and I know about the Cup of Nations. I watched it as a kid growing up, and I know players who have played in it, World Class players,” the CBS Sports Golazo pundit said.

 

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“There's always a stigma about Africa, and it's football. We've had conversations about AFCON not being taken seriously for many years.

“It's a tournament that seems to be a thorn in the flesh for European managers who have made comments about the competition being a burden for them.

“It's another reason why people will look down on this tournament and have a stigma attached to it. There's not one Morocco player, past or present, who would want to win in this manner.

“None of them will look in the mirror and be happy about being handed that.

CAF have embarrased themselves again in front of the world, and allows other footballing federations to laugh at Africa as a continent because of how this whole situation has been handled,” the 41-year-old concluded.

Senegal are planning to file an appeal to CAS to overturn what CAF has adjourned to be right last night.