LBy Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
Former Morocco international Mustapha Hadji has expressed relief and pride at Morocco being crowned AFCON 2025 champions, while simultaneously criticizing the handling of the tournament by the Confederation of African Football.
“The justice has been served. From the moment there are laws, they must be respected, and I think we only did what was necessary to respect the laws of football,” Hadji said, acknowledging the enforcement of the rules that led to Morocco’s title.
Hadji described the ruling as “surprising” given that the initial CAF decision did not favour Morocco, highlighting the lengthy two-month appeal process that delayed the resolution.
“Of course, it is surprising, since the first instance did not rule in favour of Morocco, it’s complicated. Afterwards, as an institution, we are obliged to see it through because there are laws,” he explained.
He also noted the difficulties faced by match officials during the final, emphasizing that the referee was left to make critical decisions alone.
“It’s true that the referee of the match was left on his own. He had to make decisions alone while there are normally officials present who know the rules to make the right decision on the day,” Hadji said.
While celebrating Morocco’s championship, Hadji admitted that the title lacked the full satisfaction of an on-field triumph, describing the victory as “a gift” rather than a pure sporting success.
“Today, as Moroccans, we are happy. We are happy to be African champions, of course, but it doesn’t have the same taste. It feels like we were given a gift when in reality we can only blame the CAF officials,” he stated.
Hadji concluded by calling for better-qualified officials who can make decisive rulings during matches, stressing the need for accountability and efficiency to protect the integrity of African football.
“At some point, you need competent people, people who make decisions on the spot,” he said, underlining the importance of on-field authority.
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