Top Moroccan politician and human rights activist Adel Belhabib has cited numerous factors for the Atlas Lions defeat to Senegal in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The continental showpiece came to an end on Sunday, January 18, 2026, with Senegal emerging as the champions following a 1-0 victory over Morocco after extra-time at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Senegal coach, Pape Thiaw, sparked the controversy after ordering his players to walk off the pitch in protest against a penalty decision against his outfit, minutes after disallowing a goal for the Taranga Lions.
A section of the players adhered to the coach and left the field, leading to a several-minute stoppage amidst chaos.
But Sadio Mane demonstrated leadership, as he rallied his teammates to return to the pitch for the continuation of the match. Their return paid off, with Pape Gueye netting the match winner after Brahim Diaz had squandered a penalty kick
“The Moroccan national team did not lose the Africa Cup of Nations to Senegal on the field with the ball; rather, it lost to a complex context of pressure, manipulation, ill will, bad luck, and malicious football and media tactics.”
“The defeat was not purely a sporting one; rather, it resulted from an accumulation of factors that forced Morocco to face more than one opponent in a single match.”
“From the start of the tournament, it was clear that Morocco was the target: psychological pressure, exaggeration of every refereeing decision, turning minor details into major issues, and then a collective leap into conspiracy theories.”
He emphasized that “the penalty kick, awarded according to the rules and with VAR technology, was transformed into a pretext for fabricating a whole narrative of injustice and backroom deals; while unacceptable protest behavior was justified as a courageous stance rather than a clear violation of the rules.”
For the first time, Senegal has triumphed over the host nation after five previous attempts without a victory against the home team.
The Taranga Lions now hold the second-longest unbeaten run in the Africa Cup of Nations with 18 matches, after Egypt, who hold the record with 24 matches.
Meanwhile, the Atlas Lions has been absent from the podium in the Africa Cup of Nations for 50 years, since winning the title in 1976.
