Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi publicly rejected the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title awarded to his country by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 21, 2026, saying his team did not deserve to keep it after losing the final.
In a statement, Hakimi said his mother advised him to reject the trophy, adding that it would be unfair to diminish the achievement of Senegal national football team, who he acknowledged won the match fairly.
“We had a chance to win it but we failed to win it. That’s football, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose,” Hakimi said.
The defender emphasized that Senegal deserved the victory after their hard work throughout the tournament and said keeping the trophy would undermine their accomplishment.
“I respect the decision of Confederation of African Football, but I’m officially rejecting the trophy. I didn’t win the 2025 AFCON. Congratulations to Senegal once again,” he added.
The Senegalese Football Federation has announced plans to appeal this ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
