The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco, will be remembered, but not for the reasons organizers intended. It will be recalled as one of the most controversial tournaments in history, marred by blatant refereeing scandals, shameful attempts at manipulation, and, bizarrely, the theft of towels from goalkeepers!
Yes, you read that right: stolen towels. In a continental championship viewed by millions worldwide, the situation devolved into stealing a goalkeeper’s towel, seemingly to prevent him from drying his gloves. This wasn’t football; it was a farce that ridiculed Morocco and exposed the depths to which the organization had sunk.
Ultimately, the Moroccan team lost the Cup to Senegal, but before that, they lost their honor through unsportsmanlike tactics that were exposed by cameras and documented in widely circulated videos. The integrity of the competition was severely compromised.
Politicized Refereeing and a Series of Blunders
The tournament was riddled with blatant refereeing scandals. It was evident that referees were influenced to favor the Moroccan team in numerous matches, a desperate attempt to propel them to victory on home soil. During the group stage against Tanzania, Cameroon, and Nigeria, we witnessed controversial refereeing decisions that clearly benefited Morocco. The affected teams protested vehemently, but to no avail. This reached its peak in the final against Senegal.
In the second half’s added time, the Congolese referee, Jean-Jacques Ndala, controversially disallowed a legitimate goal for Senegal, citing a foul by Achraf Hakimi. Replays showed minimal contact, and Hakimi appeared to fall before the header. Minutes later, the referee awarded Morocco a penalty after a VAR review showed a slight pull by Malik Thiaw on Brahim Diaz. The decision was so dubious that the Senegalese players, led by their coach, Pape Thiaw, initially left the field in protest. Only the intervention of captain Sadio Mane, who persuaded his teammates to return, prevented the match from descending into utter chaos.
Fortunately, Brahim Diaz failed to convert the penalty, attempting a reckless ‘Panenka’ style shot that was easily saved by Edouard Mendy. Senegal eventually secured a 1-0 victory with a goal in the 94th minute of extra time. Justice prevailed. However, the tournament’s reputation was severely damaged by the continuous questionable decisions.
