Achraf Hakimi broke AFCON 2025 title decision to me – Senegal and PSG winger Ibrahim Mbaye

Senegal international Ibrahim Mbaye says he was initially unaware of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title stripping, revealing his Paris Saints Germain teammates and Moroccan Achraf Hakimi broke the news to him.

The Teranga Lions were shockingly stripped of the AFCON title, with the CAF Appeal Board declaring Morocco as champions after awarding them a 3-0 victory in the final held at the Prince Moulay Stadium back in February 2026.

The decision has sparked wide widespread debate across the African football landscape, with the Senegalese Football Federation officially lodging appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

“I wasn’t even aware,” Mbaye said. “It was Hakimi who informed me. He said, ‘Did you see the news? They gave us the trophy.’”

Despite the magnitude of the decision, Mbaye struck a composed and defiant tone, insisting that the ruling does little to alter his personal view of events on the pitch.

“I didn’t have a particular reaction because we won on the pitch,” he stated. “I have the medal; it’s still at my place, and the trophy is at home. For me, it changes nothing—we won on the pitch.”

His remarks reflect a strong sense of conviction and underline the emotional weight still attached to the tournament’s outcome, particularly among players who believe the result was decided fairly during play.

The CAF Appeals Committee’s ruling has continued to generate intense reactions from players, officials, and fans alike, with differing interpretations of both the decision and its implications for African football governance.

Mbaye’s revelation also sheds light on the human side of the controversy, illustrating how even players directly connected to such major developments can sometimes learn of them informally—through teammates and colleagues like Hakimi.

As discussions continue to swirl around the decision, Mbaye’s stance reinforces a broader sentiment among sections of the football community: that while administrative rulings may alter official records, the memories and beliefs forged on the pitch remain deeply personal and, for many, unchanged.