‘Come and take it’ – Moussa Niakhaté reacts to CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of AFCON 2025 title

Tensions have escalated in Senegal following the Confederation of African Football’s decision to award the AFCON 2025 title to Morocco after ruling the final a forfeit.

The reaction from within the Senegal camp has been one of anger and disbelief, with defender Moussa Niakhaté openly rejecting the outcome.

Addressing suggestions that the team should return the trophy and medals, he responded angrily.

“Come and take them! They’re crazy,” Niakhaté said.

His outburst captures the mood in the camp after CAF invoked Article 84, which deems a team to have lost if it abandons or disrupts a match.

According to the Appeal Board, Senegal’s actions during the final, including leaving the pitch for approximately 15 minutes, had a direct impact on the game and justified the decision to forfeit the match.

The ruling ultimately handed Morocco a 3-0 victory and confirmed them as champions of the tournament.

Despite the official position, key Senegalese figures continue to question the outcome. Former head coach Aliou Cissé expressed disbelief at the development.

“What is this? Is this an April Fool’s joke?” Cissé said. “I don’t believe it. This can’t be true.”

CAF’s latest verdict has been widely interpreted as a firm correction to an earlier decision that had drawn criticism for being too lenient, particularly given the scale of disruption witnessed during the final.

While Senegal’s reaction underlines the emotional weight of the situation, the governing body maintains that the regulations are clear, with severe consequences attached to abandoning or interrupting a match of such magnitude.

Morocco, meanwhile, can now turn its attention to celebrating a title that has been both contested on the pitch and upheld by tournament rules. Nonetheless, the circumstances surrounding the decision ensure this final will be remembered as one of the most contentious in AFCON history.