Carragher Criticises CAF’s Decision to Give Morocco 2025 AFCON Title
James Lee Duncan Carragher, Liverpool’s second-highest serving player, has voiced shock and dissatisfaction with the decision that handed Morocco the 2025 AFCON title over Senegal.
On the evening of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, a jury at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board determined that, pursuant to Article 84 of the Regulations of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco would be granted the trophy instead of Senegal.
The Appeal Board’s formal declaration follows the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) announcement of its decision to contest the rulings made by the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Disciplinary Board regarding the events that transpired during the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Jamie Carragher condemned the decision as chaotic and detrimental to the tournament’s integrity, asserting that such confusion and inequity are unacceptable in football.
Jamie Carragher, the 2004-05 Liverpool Player of the Season, denounced the scenario as absurd, contending that football tournaments need to be determined on the pitch rather than in an office, and emphasised that in Europe, such a reversal of a result post-celebration would be entirely intolerable.
Carragher questioned, “Right, hold on a minute… so Senegal wins the Africa Cup of Nations final, the crowd’s going wild, the players are lifting the trophy, and everyone’s celebrating and now they’ve been told, ‘No, sorry, Morocco are the winners 3–0!’ Are you having a laugh?”
The former England international leveraged the circumstance to reiterate his enduring critique of AFCON, contending that such a post-match administrative turnaround would be inconceivable in European competitions.
Carragher was emphatic, “I mean, this is exactly why I said the AFCON isn’t a major tournament. In Europe? In a Champions League final? In a Euros final? This would never, ever happen! You don’t hand out medals one day and then say, ‘Actually, change of plan the other team wins.’ Madness!”
Story by Atakorah (Pramaso)
