MOROCCO captain Achraf Hakimi has publicly rejected the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title awarded to his country, declaring he does not recognise the victory after CAF’s controversial ruling.
Reports say the PSG defender said he will refuse the winner’s medal on principle, insisting Senegal were the rightful champions after their victory on the pitch.
Hakimi said in a statement that he is officially refusing the AFCON trophy, adding that he hopes his teammates will do the same.
This comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the result of the 2026 AFCON final, awarding Morocco a three-nil victory by default after ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match.
The decision followed chaotic scenes late in the final in Rabat, when Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time.
Despite returning to continue the match and ultimately winning one-nil in extra time, CAF’s Appeals Committee later ruled that the temporary walk-off constituted a breach of competition regulations.
Hakimi, however, has distanced himself from the administrative decision, choosing instead to recognise the sporting outcome on the field.
(AFRICASOCCER)
