Troost-Ekong Criticises Decision to Award AFCON 2025 Title to Morocco

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has criticised the decision to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco.

The defender, who was named the best player at the 2023 tournament, said the situation is difficult to accept for many players across Africa.

The Confederation of African Football made a shocking decision to take the title from Senegal and give it to Morocco two months after the final. The move has raised serious concerns about fairness and the credibility of the competition.

Senegal had originally beaten Morocco 1-0 after extra time in a tense final. During the match, Senegal players briefly left the pitch to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco. Although they later returned to finish the game, the incident became the centre of the controversy.

After reviewing the case, the football body ruled that Senegal’s actions broke the competition rules. As a result, the match was awarded to Morocco as a 3-0 win.

Troost-Ekong said he was shocked when he heard the news and found it hard to believe at first. He added that such a decision makes him feel sad.

He questioned whether any team could truly celebrate a title won in that way, stressing that trophies should be decided on the pitch.

The defender also spoke about his own experience of losing a final with Nigeria, saying he would never want the result to be changed afterwards, no matter how painful it was.

He expressed sympathy for Senegal’s players, saying it would be very upsetting to see a result changed after the match has already been played.

Senegal are now expected to challenge the decision, which could take several months to resolve. For now, Morocco remain the official champions, ending their long wait for the title.