In what was an astonishing decision, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided this week that Senegal would be stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. In a statement, CAF said its appeals board ruled that Senegal is “declared to have forfeited the final.”
Perhaps no man will be more delighted with that news than Morocco star Brahim Diaz. While he had a fantastic tournament, it ended in misery for the Real Madrid ace as his last-gasp Panenka penalty was easily saved in the final, with Senegal then going on to win the match in extra time thanks to Pape Gueye's fine strike.
The award of that penalty is what sparked huge controversy, with Senegal incensed by the decision, as manager Pape Thiaw then ordered his team off the pitch in protest. Sadio Mane finally convinced his team to return to the field and carry on with the match after a near 20-minute delay.
With Diaz missing the penalty and Senegal going on to win the game, Senegal were crowned AFCON champions. Now nearly two months on, their decision to leave the pitch has seen CAF declare them to have forfeited the game, thus automatically losing the final 3-0.
Diaz Spotted After Morocco Announced As Shock AFCON Winners
Morocco's Brahim Diaz kisses the ball as he prepares to take a penalty vs Senegal
Nobody saw the news coming as Morocco were suddenly declared AFCON winners late on Tuesday evening. Fascinatingly, Diaz was involved in another big football match at the time.
Indeed, the winger was sitting on the bench as Real Madrid took on Manchester City away from home in the second leg of their Champions League tie when he learned of the news. He was then caught on camera in two different clips, as his immediate reaction to the ruling was revealed.
With Madrid ultimately winning the tie 5-1 on aggregate, Diaz played 70 minutes before being replaced by Kylian Mbappe. As he spent the last 20 minutes on the bench, he appeared delighted, albeit a little bit confused, as he reacted to the news. The funny clip quickly went viral, picking up over two million views.
After the game, more fan footage captured him grinning as he walked along the Etihad turf. With a sheepish smile, he raised his hands in celebration as he delighted in the surprise change in AFCON events.
Senegal Denounce CAF's Decision With Clear Statement
Sadio Mane of Senegal gestures during a 2025 AFCON Africa Cup of Nations Final game
Of course, the drama won't stop here. Already, Senegal have released a strong statement denouncing CAF's decision. It read:
"The Senegalese Football Federation [FSF] denounces this unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football.
"In defense of its rights and the interests of Senegalese football, the Federation will initiate, as soon as possible, an appeal procedure before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
"The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter."
Adding to that, Abdoulaye Sow, Secretary General of the FSF, has called CAF 'corrupt' and said 'the cup will not leave this country.' Even neutrals have been baffled by the call, with Mido, who played 51 times for Egypt and helped them to the AFCON title in 2006, labelling the decision 'the biggest scandal in football history'.
Having been the villain of the piece originally, after missing his penalty, it will be a strange turn of events if Diaz does end up getting his hands on a winner's medal.