AFCON Final Fallout: Morocco Coach Regragui Blasts Senegal’s Pape Thiaw For Leading Players’ Revolt

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has launched a fierce attack on Senegal’s Pape Thiaw, accusing him of disgracing African football after a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final that swung wildly before Senegal emerged champions.

Regragui described the decider as “a final with a Hitchcockian script” after Morocco’s hopes of winning the AFCON 2025 ended dramatically. Senegal had a late goal chalked off in stoppage time before VAR intervened at the other end to award Morocco a penalty.

The decision sparked outrage, with Senegal’s players walking off the pitch in protest, freezing the game for around 10 minutes as the world watched.

When play finally resumed, the moment slipped away from Morocco. Brahim Díaz stepped up and attempted a Panenka, only to scuff his effort. Senegal seized the reprieve and went on to secure victory in extra time.

“The image we’ve given of Africa is shameful,” Regragui said afterwards. “A coach who asks his players to leave the field. What Pape did does not honour Africa. He started it in the pre-match press conference and it wasn’t classy.

“He is a champion, so he can say what he wants, but stopping a final for 10 minutes in front of the world did not help Brahim. That still doesn’t excuse the way the penalty was taken. We were one minute from being African champions. Football can be cruel. We missed what for some was the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye, who struck the winning goal, offered a different perspective. He spoke of pride and togetherness, insisting the walk-off was born out of a sense of injustice.

“We felt there had been a foul for us and the referee chose not to check VAR,” he explained. “We were frustrated, but Sadio Mané told us to come back on the pitch and remobilise. We decided to return and give everything. In the end, everyone saw what happened.”

Despite Morocco’s heartbreak, Regragui found himself under heavy fire from sections of the media. Several journalists at the post-match press conference openly called for his resignation, a sharp contrast to the praise he has received since guiding Morocco to a historic World Cup semi-final and overseeing a 26-game unbeaten run.

“To win the Africa Cup is not easy,” he replied. “We were very close and everyone was disappointed. In football, you must accept what has happened, stay humble and work to come back stronger, inshallah.”

The night’s drama did not end with the final whistle. Thiaw’s appearance in the press conference room was met with a mix of cheers and boos, before a large group of Moroccan journalists staged a walkout. Heated arguments between Senegalese and Moroccan reporters brought proceedings to a halt, eventually spilling onto the stage itself.