Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has strongly criticized the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to strip Senegal of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. CAF awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, altering the outcome of the final, which Senegal had originally won on the field.
Carragher expressed his outrage at this decision, calling the situation a "farce" and questioning the integrity of the tournament. "Can you imagine the scenes in the dressing room? Senegalese players in tears, Moroccan players disoriented… who holds the trophy now? Is this football or Monopoly?!" he questioned.
CAF justified its decision by citing Articles 82 and 84 of its regulations, following the interruption of the match by Senegalese players during extra time due to a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco. According to CAF, Senegal forfeited the match, hence the awarding of a 3-0 victory to Morocco.
Carragher has strongly criticized this approach, arguing that "the whole tournament should be played on the field, not in an office behind a desk". He added that such a situation would never happen in Europe, where decisions are made on the field and not changed afterwards. "Honestly, it's a joke. At AFCON… you can celebrate a trophy today and lose it tomorrow. That's why I've always said that in Europe, it would never happen. Never!".
The Senegalese Football Federation has rejected CAF's decision and plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). In the meantime, the controversy continues to grow, with many voices rising to denounce what they consider an injustice and an attack on fair play.
