Walid Regragui believes Morocco’s AFCON 2025 final against Senegal will be a finely balanced, high-quality contest between Africa’s two standout teams of recent years.
Morocco reached the Rabat showpiece after a tense semi-final against Nigeria, winning 4–2 on penalties following a 0–0 draw at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou emerging as the hero in the shootout.
Bounou, playing for Al Hilal, produced crucial saves to deny Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi, before Youssef En-Nesyri calmly converted the decisive spot-kick to send the hosts into their first AFCON final in 21 years. Regragui praised his side’s defensive resilience, noting that Nigeria had very few clear chances, and highlighted how Morocco have been building a strong backline for three years.
Looking ahead, the coach called the Senegal clash “a superb final” and “a fifth-to-fifth tie,” stressing Morocco’s need to recover quickly, maintain their fighting spirit and continue evolving their football identity.
He insisted his focus is on collective self-belief, constant improvement and turning Morocco’s new habit of reaching the latter stages into a culture of regularly winning major titles.
