Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has criticized the officiating following his side’s dramatic defeat to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, insisting the match slipped away from his team after a series of late and contentious decisions.
Speaking after the game, Regragui maintained that Morocco had done enough to lift the trophy before the closing stages took an unexpected turn. He described the final as one that followed a “Hitchcockian script”, arguing that the referee’s calls ultimately changed the outcome.
“We did everything today, and we deserved to win, but the referee had a different opinion,” Regragui said.
The decisive moments came deep into stoppage time. Senegal initially thought they had scored, only for the goal to be ruled out. Moments later, Morocco was awarded a penalty after a video assistant referee review, a decision that sparked chaos inside the stadium.
In protest, Senegal’s players walked off the pitch, bringing the final to a standstill for several minutes.
When play eventually resumed, Brahim Díaz stepped up but failed to convert the penalty, attempting a Panenka that went wide of the goal.
The miss proved costly, as Senegal regrouped and went on to seal a 1-0 win in extra time.
The aftermath of the final was just as intense. Regragui faced pointed questions from journalists at the post-match press conference, with some calling for his resignation despite the coach having overseen a 26-match unbeaten run since leading Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals.
The 49-year-old was defiant, urging calm and perspective. “To win the Africa Cup is not easy. We were very close, and so everybody is disappointed, but in football you need to come back strong, you need to accept what has happened, you need to be humble, and you need to work to do it, inshallah,” he said.
