Ex-Morocco star Mustapha Hadji slams CAF over handling of AFCON 2025 title case

Moroccan football icon Mustapha Hadji has voiced strong criticism of the Confederation of African Football over its handling of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations decision, even as he insisted that Morocco rightfully deserves the title.

CAF’s announcement on Tuesday confirming Morocco as champions for the second time came as a surprise, following a controversial sequence of events surrounding the final in Rabat.

The decision awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory after Senegal’s players temporarily withdrew from the match, which had originally ended 1-0 in favour of the Lions of Teranga.

With the Senegalese Football Federation preparing to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the debate remains far from settled. Speaking to RMC Sport, Hadji addressed the situation, framing the outcome as a matter of enforcing the laws of the game.

“Justice has been served. In football there are rules, and if everyone starts doing whatever they want, whenever they want, things will become chaotic. As long as there are rules, they must be respected. I think Morocco has done nothing but abide by the rules of football,” he said.

He continued, “If the Senegalese players were in danger or threatened, I would understand their leaving the field, but in this case, if we are going to discuss every refereeing decision, dissect it, and act in this way every time, it will become complicated.

Despite supporting the decision itself, Hadji did not hold back in criticising the timing, noting that the verdict came nearly two months after the final. He suggested that such delays raise concerns about efficiency and decision-making within the governing body.

“Issuing such a decision after two months is of course surprising. When the first party does not respond in favor of Morocco, the matter becomes complicated. But in the end, the institution is obliged to go all the way because there are laws,” he said.

The former Atlas Lions star also questioned why officials present during the match failed to resolve the matter immediately, arguing that the referee was left isolated in making critical calls.

“The truth is that the referee was left alone to make crucial decisions, despite the presence of officials on the ground who knew the rules well and who should have made the decision on the same day. It is true that a review of the situation was requested, but two months is a very long time,” he shared.

While acknowledging the joy of Morocco’s triumph, Hadji admitted that the delayed ruling has taken something away from the moment.

“Today we as Moroccans are happy with the victory, but the taste is not the same, as if the title was given to us as a gift. We can only blame the officials of the African Union, as competent people who are able to make the decision at the moment should be appointed.”

He concluded with a blunt assessment of the broader impact on the game, stating that the episode reflects poorly on African football’s administration.

“What happened is damaging to African football, and it is unfortunate because it is a wonderful tournament, but I say it from the heart: it is run by incompetent people,” he added.