Senegal’s victory over Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final has been followed by a surge of unverified claims and conspiracy theories circulating on social media, as disappointment over the loss continues to resonate among sections of the Moroccan public.
“Morocco has been dealt a heavy blow. The defeat in the 2025 AFCON final against Senegal is painful. The trauma is so profound that many are resorting to delusions and selling illusions to the fans. They’re even claiming that the Senegalese risk losing their African title to the Atlas Lions. The Moroccans have even adopted the Mechakra syndrome, that of the supposedly investigative journalist and Algerian fabulist. Their neighbors are pushing the imitation to its extreme, to the point of utter absurdity.”
In the days following the final in Rabat, a growing number of videos, posts and commentaries have appeared online suggesting alternative outcomes to the match, despite the result being officially confirmed.
These narratives echo earlier episodes elsewhere on the continent, notably those linked to Algerian figure Aref Mechakra, who previously claimed that FIFA would order a replay of the Algeria–Cameroon World Cup qualifier after controversial refereeing decisions.
Similar speculation, though unsupported by evidence, has now found an audience beyond Algeria.
Some of the claims circulating in Morocco have gone further, alleging elaborate plots behind events during the final.
Among them are assertions that Senegal coach Pape Thiaw acted on external instructions when he briefly led his players towards the tunnel late in the match, with some versions attributing these alleged directives to foreign political or military actors.
Other stories suggest meetings abroad took place before the final with the aim of destabilising the event. None of these claims have been substantiated.
Despite this, Senegal remain the confirmed African champions, and no official body has questioned the validity of the result.
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo completed the match, and there has been no indication of any disciplinary or regulatory process that could affect the outcome.
Speculation has also extended to moments on the pitch, including claims that Brahim Diaz deliberately missed a penalty, or that Senegalese players failed to celebrate certain actions for hidden reasons.
Analysts and observers note that such interpretations overlook the realities of high-pressure competition and risk turning sporting disappointment into misplaced suspicion.
As emotions continue to settle, calls have grown for restraint and perspective.
The final has ended, the trophy has been awarded, and while disappointment remains for Morocco, the episode highlights how major sporting defeats can quickly give rise to misinformation when frustration is left unchecked.
