Morocco will be aiming to cement their status as one of Africa’s football powerhouses and finally bring an end to a 50-year wait for Africa Cup of Nations glory when they face Senegal in Sunday’s final.
The North African nation has enjoyed a sustained rise over the past decade, asserting itself as a dominant force across African football through consistent success at various levels and the growth of its political and financial influence within the game.
Despite that progress, the AFCON title has remained elusive, with Morocco often entering recent tournaments among the favourites only to fall short at the decisive moments.
Sunday’s final offers the Atlas Lions a chance to finally reap the rewards of years of heavy investment in players and infrastructure, including facilities recently upgraded and set to feature when Morocco co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain.
Standing in their way, however, are Senegal, a side capable of playing the role of spoilers. The Teranga Lions boast a formidable squad that has lost just one of their last 34 international matches, a defeat to Brazil in London two months ago. The showdown in Rabat marks Senegal’s third AFCON final appearance in the last four editions, with a wealth of experience in their ranks, led by talisman Sadio Mané.
Morocco’s confidence has been fuelled by a sustained period at the summit of African football, highlighted by their historic run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar in 2022. Last year, they also set a new continental record for consecutive international wins, eventually extending that run to 19 matches.
Despite those achievements, Morocco’s AFCON history has remained modest, with their sole triumph coming in 1976 and just one final appearance since, in 2004. That burden appeared to weigh heavily on the team during a tentative start to the tournament last month.
Those early nerves have since been shaken off, with commanding performances against Cameroon and Nigeria showcasing a more aggressive and high-tempo approach that has reignited belief among players and supporters alike. The Atlas Lions are also expected to enjoy strong backing at the Stade Moulay Abdellah, where football fever has gripped the host nation.
“It’s a unique moment for us,” said captain Achraf Hakimi following Morocco’s semi-final victory earlier in the week. “We’ve made history once again, this team deserves it. All Moroccans deserve it. We are very happy, but we haven’t finished the job yet.”
For Senegal, managing the pressure of the occasion could prove decisive, particularly after cruising through much of the tournament with relative ease. Their coach, Pape Bouna Thiaw, made no secret of his ambitions ahead of the final, saying: “We wanted to play in this final, now we have to go and win it.”
The much-anticipated final will kick off at 19:00GMT on Sunday, January 18.
