William Troost-Ekong has strongly criticised the decision to overturn the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, insisting the ruling undermines the credibility of the competition.
The controversy followed a decision by the Confederation of African Football Appeals Board to reverse the outcome of the final between Senegal national football team and Morocco national football team. Senegal had originally secured a 1-0 victory in a tense encounter, but their brief walk off during the match, in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco, was later ruled a breach of tournament regulations.
As a result, the game was awarded 3-0 in favour of Morocco, a decision that has sparked widespread debate across the football world.
Reacting to the development, the former Super Eagles captain admitted his initial disbelief before expressing disappointment at the outcome.
“When I first heard the news that the result of this year’s AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco had been overturned, I thought it was a joke. When I realised it was actually real, after reading the official statement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), it just made me feel quite sad,” Troost-Ekong told the Athletic.
He went further to question the manner in which the title was awarded, stressing that major honours should always be decided on the pitch rather than through administrative rulings.
“Every African player wants to win this tournament but would I celebrate now if I was in Morocco’s shoes? Absolutely not. I would feel ashamed to win like this. It wouldn’t feel right. You have to earn it on the pitch. I don’t think I would be able to accept it, but if you publicly decline a medal or trophy then that also becomes a circus. It definitely can’t be celebrated.”
The decision continues to divide opinion, with many players and stakeholders echoing similar concerns about fairness and the integrity of African football’s flagship tournament.
