Senegal lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Rabat, yet the football barely survived the noise around it. The AFCON 2025 final ended with Senegal’s extra-time win, a brief walk-off, and a wave of commentary that moved fast to condemn the victors. What followed exposed a familiar pattern in African football, where protest gets punished while provocation fades from view.

The Final and the Flashpoint

The final unfolded under pressure from the opening minutes. Senegal had a goal ruled out, then watched a late penalty awarded to Morocco after a VAR review. When Senegal’s bench reacted and players stepped away from the pitch, the pause stretched close to twenty minutes. Morocco head coach Walid Regragui branded the protest shameful. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw later apologised for leading his players off, even as many observers argued the reaction matched the moment. The game resumed, Morocco missed their penalty, and Senegal struck in extra time to decide the title.

Provocation during the tournament

The walk-off did not arrive in isolation. During the final, ball boys repeatedly interfered with Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, removing his towel as rain soaked the pitch. Video circulated widely within minutes. Similar behaviour had targeted Nigeria’s goalkeeper earlier in the tournament. Senegal’s federation had already complained about security lapses on arrival, limited training access, and a sharply restricted ticket allocation in a stadium built to hold tens of thousands. Taken together, these moments framed the protest less as theatre and more as a breaking point.

Online Backlash After the Final

The tension did not end at the final whistle. Within minutes of Senegal’s victory in Rabat, a Moroccan influencer pushed the hostility into public view. Tiki Tarik posted a slur on X as celebrations began, prompting immediate backlash from across the continent.

Screenshot of an X post by Moroccan influencer Tiki Tarik using racist language about AFCON after Senegal beat Morocco in the 2025 final in Rabat.
A Moroccan influencer’s racist post went viral minutes after Senegal’s AFCON final win, sparking continent-wide backlash and renewed scrutiny of racism in football.

Fans in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and beyond condemned the post as racist, with many pointing to long-standing divisions between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Replies mocked Morocco’s defeat and questioned its claims to African solidarity. The context sharpened the reaction. Senegal had already endured a disallowed goal, a saved penalty, and a prolonged protest before securing the title through Pape Gueye’s late strike. While Senegal marked a second AFCON crown, the influencer remained silent as anger spread, reinforcing the sense that the hostility Senegal faced during the tournament did not stop at the stadium gates.

Condemnation without context

Predictably, FIFA president Gianni Infantino moved swiftly to condemn Senegal’s protest and called on CAF to impose discipline. Infantino, who has previously courted political controversy through his public alignment with Donald Trump, praised Morocco’s hosting and stressed obedience to match officials. He avoided addressing the actions that triggered the walk-off, including repeated on-pitch interference and a racist slur posted by a Moroccan influencer after the final. That selective outrage echoed long-standing complaints from sub-Saharan teams who argue North African hosts receive protection while their opponents face scrutiny. Senegal still lifted the trophy, yet the reaction exposed unresolved questions around AFCON governance and institutional credibility.

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