SENEGAL has emerged Africa Cup of Nations 2025 winner by taking down Morocco to the second position in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, in Rabat, marking one of the most significant era in African football history.
Papa Gueye secured the first position of the tournament for the West African nation in a most dramatic of circumstances at 94th minute of extra time with a goal, after Brahim Diaz missed the controversial penalty awarded to Morocco, which delayed the match by about 20 minutes.
The last AFCON final decided by more than a single goal was in 1998, and the last final won by more than one goal was Egypt’s 2-0 victory against South Africa in 1998.
The ICIR reports that Nigeria beat Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout for third place of the tournament, with Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saving two penalties including the first from Mohamed Salah, while Ademola Lookman scored the winning penalty on Saturday.
Nwabali saved the penalty kicks by Salah and Omar Marmoush at the start of the shootout following the teams 0-0 draw in normal time, as no extra time was played for the consolation of a bronze medal.
Victory for Senegal marks a remarkable title defence, further cementing their status as one of Africa’s most consistent football powers, though a win for Morocco would have finally ended a 49-year wait for continental glory, buoyed by passionate home support.
While both nations played for their second continental AFCON title, as Senegal claimed their first in 2021, and Morocco’s only triumph came nearly 50 years ago in 1976. This is the first time Morocco and Senegal meet in an AFCON final, though they’ve played 31 times overall across all competitions.
The Atlas Lions of Morocco being the host of the tournament topped Group A with three strong results and steamrolled through the knockout stages without conceding from open play, after group stage wins over Comoros (2-0) and Zambia (3-0), and a 1-1 draw with Mali.
They recorded narrow but convincing victories over Tanzania and Cameroon before edging Nigeria in penalties in the semifinal.
The north African nation conceded just two goal in seven matches and kept five clean sheets.
Meanwhile, the Teranga Lions of Senegal entered this final as the defending champions and one of Africa’s most consistent sides. They finished top of Group D and progressed through the knockout rounds with strong performances, including a 1-0 semifinal win against Egypt, courtesy of Sadio Mané’s decisive goal, by showcasing both attacking and defensive quality, scoring 12 goals and conceding just two goals.
Only Nigeria have scored more goals at this year’s tournament than Senegal, as the west African country beat Botswana and Benin 3-0 in the groups in between a 1-1 draw with DR Congo, in the knockouts it dispatched Sudan 3-1, beat Mali 1-0, and then edged past Egypt 1-0 in a very tense semi-final.
This is Senegal’s fourth AFCON final appearance and their third in the last four editions, establishing them firmly among Africa’s elite teams, while tonight represents Morocco’s first AFCON final since 2004, and their biggest opportunity to bring the trophy home for their first AFCON title for 50 years.
Both teams have qualified for the World Cup this year, though Senegal supporters are unsure whether they can attend the team’s first two games in the United States because of a travel ban imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump but Moroccan fans will not be affected by the travel ban, the Atlas Lions are in Group C with Brazil, Haiti and Scotland.
The Teranga Lions are expected to play their first match against France in New Jersey on June 16, four days before facing Norway in the same stadium. Senegal will face a playoff winner between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq in Toronto for their final group game on June 26.
The hosts of the tournament traditionally have strong finals records, as 11 of the 14 previous hosts who reached an AFCON final went on to win the title but the only hosts to lose an AFCON final in normal time were Tunisia in 1965.
History has repeated itself tonight as the last time Morocco hosted the AFCON was in 1988 and it lost by a single goal in the semi-finals to eventual winners, Cameroon, who advanced to the final where they overcame Nigeria to emerge as champions.
Eight years earlier, a Nigeria defeated Morocco by the same margin on its way to winning the tournament at the expense of Algeria.
In November 2009, Morocco lost against Cameroon, where Pierre Webo and Samuel Eto’o got the goals, though they been unbeaten in their past 39 matches.
After delivering a moment of brilliance to push his side into the lead, Senegal’s Gueye is the Player of the Final.
Senegal’s only Africa Cup of Nations title came in 2022, with Sadio Mané the driving force behind the Lions of Teranga as they defeated Egypt on penalties in the final in Yaoundé.
After missing a spot-kick in normal time, Mané redeemed himself in the shootout by converting the decisive penalty, sealing Senegal’s first-ever AFCON crown. The victory crowned a historic moment for the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists.
Ahead of the final, Senegal’s coach Pape Thiaw said he hoped the Africa Cup of Nations showdown against Morocco would not be Sadio Mané’s last appearance for the national team, adding that the former Liverpool forward could still reconsider his decision to step away.
Thiaw’s comments came in response to Mané’s remarks after Wednesday’s semi-final victory over Egypt in which he scored the winning goal, when he suggested he would not feature at another AFCON, after the 2026 World Cup in North America in June and July, by which time he will turn 34.
The next Cup of Nations is due to take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.