Several Senegalese players have condemned the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board to nullify the final result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and strip them of the title.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board ruled that Senegal breached Article 84 of the regulations, which prohibits staging a walk-off. As a result, Senegal were deemed to have forfeited the game, and the final result was nullified.

Applying the regulation, Morocco were declared champions with a 3-0 scoreline against Senegal as punishment for the temporary walk-off.

Senegal responds to CAF over 2025 AFCON win nullification

The Teranga Lions players expressed disappointment in the decision, insisting that football matches should be decided on the pitch, not in boardrooms.

Here’s how the players reacted:

Idrissa Gana Gueye

The midfielder noted that their achievement cannot be erased, as the football world recognizes it.

“Titles, trophies, medals—all of that is fleeting. What truly matters is that every supporter can return home and be with their family. The Senegalese people have shown their true character: dignified in victory, dignified in adversity. That is Teranga. We know what we experienced that night in Rabat. And that, no one can take away from us, God willing,” he wrote, alongside a photo from the trophy presentation in Rabat.

Sadio Mané

The Al Nassr forward fumed that the decision clearly shows how corrupt CAF has been in taking major decisions, insisting that on-pitch results should stand.

“What has happened here goes too far. This is not the football we fight for, nor the Africa we believe in. There is too much corruption in our sport, and that is killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent. The players give their all on the pitch, but decisions off the pitch determine the outcome of matches and titles,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram.

Pathé Ciss

The Rayo Vallecano midfielder was one of the first Senegalese players to react. He posted on X, alongside several photos of himself with the medal and trophy, in response to the ruling, captioning it: “You can give those crybabies another three goals.”

Yehvann Diouf

The goalkeeper shared a photo of the team lifting the trophy, adding the remark: “In the eyes of the entire world.”

El Hadji Malick Diouf

The defender stressed that some valuable things must be earned, not bought through dubious means: “Some things can’t be bought or sent; they must be earned on the field.”

Meanwhile, the Senegalese Football Federation described the decision as a “travesty” and vowed to appeal the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

SB/JE

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