Refereeing during Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has drawn intense scrutiny from international media, with accusations of bias and controversial decisions dominating post-match analysis.
French journalist Gregory Schneider, speaking on L’Equipe du Soir, did not hold back in his assessment.
“What would be good is if we saved some time and just gave them their trophy directly. People need to stop treating me like an idiot as a spectator and stop insulting football and the players who are the first victims!” Schneider said, in a scathing critique of referee Dahane Beida’s performance.
Schneider highlighted several contentious moments, including a Moroccan defender allegedly striking a Cameroonian player with his elbow and a questionable penalty decision.
“Every time there’s a free kick for Cameroon, the Moroccan positions himself a meter away to prevent them from playing quickly; the referee never intervened. And then there’s obviously that infamous penalty. Well, that was obvious,” he added.
The pundit went further, suggesting that Beida appeared constrained by external pressures.
“Look closely at the referee’s attitude. He’s annoyed because he knows something’s happened and he’s in trouble. But he’s just following orders, and it can’t be any other way. So, let’s stop treating us like idiots and saying it’s the Africa Cup of Nations, it’s Frozen, actually. It’s a Disney movie. You win it in the end. We should just give it to them directly and stop supporting this parody of football.”
A crucial moment came in the 70th minute when Cameroon’s Manchester United striker, Tino Mbeumo, was denied a penalty.
Mbeumo described the incident: “During the match, I felt the contact. I’ve seen the replays, the penalty is very, very obvious to me… I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know if the match hinged solely on that one situation… but we can have regrets beyond that. The second half was under control. It’s just one of the things that happens in the game.”
🇨🇲Cameroun 0-2 Maroc 🇲🇦
😡 @SchneiderGrgory sur le penalty oublié pour le Cameroun : « Ce qui serait bien c’est qu’on gagne un peu de temps et qu’on leur donne la coupe directement ! »#EDS #MARCAM pic.twitter.com/yVeiHUXL1G
— L’Équipe du soir (@lequipedusoir) January 9, 2026
Cameroon coach David Pagou addressed the controversy cautiously, emphasizing respect for the referee’s authority.
“There are incidents in the game. We can complain, but the referee is in charge, he directs, and we abide by the laws of the game. It can happen that we shout at referees, but they can make mistakes. I haven’t seen the footage, but the match is over. It’s an incident in the game. It’s his responsibility and his conscience alone. We’ll look into it.”
The pre-match appointment of referee Dahane Beida had already generated tension, with Morocco’s federation requesting changes to the officiating team.
This context, combined with on-field controversies, has intensified the debate over impartiality and officiating standards at AFCON 2025, fueling discussions across social media and international news outlets.
