Why Idrissa Gueye Is Willing to Return AFCON Medals to Morocco After Controversial Verdict
- Idrissa Gueye has stunned fans with his declaration to “hand” the AFCON winner’s medal to Morocco
- The Everton midfielder captained Senegal in the now-annulled final following CAF’s controversial decision to strip them of the title
- Gueye, who offered a heartfelt explanation for his stance, also criticised the Senegal FA for challenging the ruling at CAS
- Scotland-based journalist Awal Mohammed Hudu told YEN.com.gh he sees no merit in retroactively awarding the trophy to Morocco
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Idrissa Gana Gueye has taken a surprising step in the fallout from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) controversy, offering to personally collect Senegal’s winners’ medals and hand them over to Morocco.
His comments come days after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the final result and declared Morocco champions, despite their defeat on the pitch two months earlier.
Source: Getty Images
CAF based its decision on Articles 82 and 84 of the competition’s regulations, ruling that Senegal’s brief walk off during the final amounted to a forfeiture. The match was therefore recorded as a 3-0 result in favour of Morocco.
Senegal had initially won the game in extra time after returning to the pitch, but the Appeal Board concluded that the interruption was enough to invalidate the result.
Why Gueye wants to hand medals to Morocco
Gueye, who captained Senegal in the final in the absence of Kalidou Koulibaly, shared his thoughts after Everton’s 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea.
He told Canal+ as cited by France24:
"I personally commit to collecting the medals and maybe giving them back to Morocco if that can ease tensions between the two countries," he said.
"It's just ridiculous... a football match is won on the pitch, that's what we did in Morocco.
Despite the gesture, the veteran midfielder made it clear he does not accept CAF’s verdict.
"We did what we had to do on the pitch, we won that match. "We deserve to be African champions. We are the African champions as far as we're concerned. Titles are won on the pitch, not in offices."
Interestingly, Gueye also questioned his own federation’s decision to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
"If it were up to me, I would have told the federation not to appeal," he added.
Source: Getty Images
No sporting sense from CAF ruling, says journalist
Sharing his thoughts on the issue, Scotland-based journalist Awal Mohammed Hudu of Kessben Media told YEN.com.gh:
“Honestly, this does not make sporting sense," Awal began.
"During the final, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala had the opportunity to end the game due to forfeiture after the Senegalese players had left the pitch but chose to continue, even allowing it to go into extra time.
"Law 5 of the IFAB rulebook clearly states that the referee is the final arbiter on the pitch. So, since he saw no reason to discontinue the match, it is quite bewildering that CAF’s Appeal Board would later nullify the result and award the title to Morocco.”
Meanwhile, CAF's controversial decision continues to divide opinion across the game.
While some figures, including George Weah and Roger Milla, have criticised the ruling, others, such as Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos and Nigeria's head coach Eric Chelle, have backed the continent's football governing body.
For now, the battle is far from over. Senegal’s Football Federation (FSF) has confirmed plans to take the case to CAS, describing the verdict as "an unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable decision which brings discredit to African football".
New video shows Senegal 'forfeited' AFCON final
In another publication, YEN.com.gh reported that new footage suggests Senegal may have forfeited the 2025 AFCON final even before CAF’s verdict.
The clip has intensified the debate, with many focusing on the actions of Jean-Jacques Ndala during the walk-off.
Source: YEN.com.gh
