Morocco’s receipt of the Fair Play award at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has come under scrutiny following the release of video footage showing national team captain Achraf Hakimi in a controversial incident during the final against Senegal.
Senegal claimed their second AFCON title with a 1-0 victory over hosts Morocco, a match defined by late drama and on-field disputes. The game was heading into extra time when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala disallowed a Senegalese goal and awarded Morocco a penalty after a VAR review.
In protest, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players to leave the pitch, temporarily halting the match. Captain Sadio Mané later convinced the team to return, and Senegal eventually secured victory through Pape Gueye’s 94th-minute strike.
Towel controversy
The drama extended off the ball as multiple video clips emerged showing Moroccan ball boys attempting to take Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel, preventing him from drying his gloves in heavy rain.
Substitute goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf intervened, protecting the towel, while midfielder Ismael Saibari also got involved. The footage then showed Hakimi seizing the towel and tossing it behind the advertising boards, with full-back Malik Diouf recovering it shortly after.
Parece ser que Mendy tenía otra toalla y Hakimi Achraf se la tiró fuera del campo pero Malick Diouf estuvo rápido y la recogió para su portero antes de que los recogepelotas pudieran llevársela.
Bochorno totalpic.twitter.com/c9D1HaD6gz https://t.co/jVrbTZFFRO
— Ju@n🍍 (@JuanIBS98) January 19, 2026
Fair Play award under fire
The Spanish sports outlet Mundo Deportivo highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that Hakimi later received the Fair Play award on behalf of Morocco.
“It is a strange case, as by the end of the match, Achraf Hakimi himself was responsible for receiving the Fair Play award, which went to Morocco in a final where fair play was clearly absent from the hosts,” the report stated.
The incident has sparked debate over the integrity of the award, with critics questioning whether Morocco’s conduct during the high-stakes final truly exemplified sportsmanship.
While the Teranga Lions’ triumph is celebrated, the Fair Play accolade may now be overshadowed by controversy surrounding the actions of Moroccan players in the closing minutes of the match.
