By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has weighed in on the controversial Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling that stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, insisting the outcome should have remained based on events on the pitch.
In comments attributed to *The Athletic*, Troost-Ekong referenced the chaotic moment during the final when Senegal players briefly walked off in protest of a refereeing decision. While acknowledging the action was inappropriate, he argued that the match should have been settled by the referee at the time—not retroactively.
“I watched the final and saw the moment when Senegal walked off the pitch,” he said. “It was unsportsmanlike behaviour, but the referee… had the power to stop the game and award Morocco a 3-0 victory at the time.”
The Super Eagles defender added that once both teams agreed to resume play, the integrity of the match result should have been preserved. “The moment both sides agreed to carry on playing, the match must surely be decided by what happens on the pitch,” he stated.
The AFCON final, officiated by Jean-Jacques Ndala, descended into chaos after a disputed penalty decision late in the game triggered a Senegal walkout that lasted around 14–17 minutes before play resumed.
Despite Senegal returning to win the match 1–0 after extra time, CAF’s Appeals Board later ruled that the walk-off constituted a breach of competition regulations, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory.
Troost-Ekong’s stance reflects a growing school of thought within football that emphasizes the final authority of on-field officials, particularly when a match has been completed under the referee’s supervision.
The decision has continued to generate widespread debate across the continent, with players, coaches, and administrators divided over whether CAF’s retrospective action upholds the rules—or undermines the fundamental principle that matches are decided on the pitch.