Achraf Hakimi, captain of the Morocco national football team, has publicly rejected the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, insisting that Morocco did not earn the trophy following their loss to Senegal national football team in the tournament final.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender said neither he nor his teammates should accept the trophy, regardless of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) ruling.
“My mum told me to reject the AFCON trophy. I’m officially rejecting it and hope my teammates do same. We had a chance but failed to win,” Hakimi said, acknowledging Senegal as deserving winners.
“That’s football, sometimes you win and lose. Senegal beat us fairly and deserved it. It will be unfair to ruin their joy after the hard work,” he added, emphasizing respect for the competition and sporting integrity.
Hakimi also stated, “I respect the CAF decision but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again.”
The comments came after the CAF Appeal Board, on March 17, 2026, awarded Morocco the title citing Senegal’s walk-off as a forfeiture under tournament regulations, overturning the original 1–0 result to a 3–0 scoreline in Morocco’s favor.
Hakimi’s stance is being celebrated as a rare display of sportsmanship, highlighting the importance of earning victory on the pitch rather than through administrative decisions. Senegal’s triumph has been widely regarded as fair and deserved based on their performance in the tournament.
