AFCON 2025: Morocco falls short of matching Algeria’s unbeaten record after final loss

Morocco’s dream of matching Algeria’s historic unbeaten record ended with a narrow 1–0 defeat to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

The loss, suffered on home soil and in front of passionate supporters, denied Morocco the chance to lift the trophy for only the second time in their history, while bringing an impressive unbeaten streak under coach Walid Regragui to a halt.

End of a remarkable run

The Moroccan team’s unbeaten streak, which began in 2024, stopped at 32 consecutive matches, comprising 27 wins and 5 draws.

The streak had positioned Morocco as one of Africa’s most consistent sides in recent years, but the AFCON final defeat prevented them from equaling Algeria’s continental record.

Algeria, under former coach Djamel Belmadi, went 35 matches without home defeat between 2018 and 2022, a benchmark that remains the highest in African football.

Algeria still leads African and global rankings

Algeria continues to hold the African unbeaten record, with Morocco now in second place, and Ivory Coast trailing in third with 26 consecutive matches without a loss.

On a global scale, Algeria ranks third, behind Italy’s 37-match unbeaten run from 2018 to 2021 and Argentina’s 36 matches from 2019 to 2022, highlighting the magnitude of their achievement on both continental and international levels.

Focus shifts to the future

Algeria’s own campaign in the 2025 AFCON ended in the quarterfinals, with a 2–0 loss to Nigeria under Swiss coach Vladimir Petković. Despite this early exit, the team has already turned its attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

During the upcoming international break in March, Algeria is expected to play two friendly matches against Uruguay and Iran, providing an opportunity to fine-tune preparations ahead of the global tournament.