Morocco and Senegal Set for Africa Cup of Nations Final Showdown
Morocco aims to secure its second continental title after a 50-year wait as they face Senegal in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The Atlas Lions are also looking to justify their country's significant investment in football infrastructure.
Scheduled for 19:00 GMT in Rabat, the match features Africa's top two teams, with Morocco ranked 11th in the world and Senegal just eight places behind.
"We have been waiting for this trophy for 50 years now," said Morocco defender Romain Saiss in an interview with the BBC World Service. "It has been a long time for everyone in the country. It’s the dream of all Moroccans."
Morocco boasts the best defense in the tournament, having achieved five clean sheets, with their only goal conceded coming from a penalty taken by Yassine Bounou. They will face a formidable Senegal team that has scored 12 goals to reach this stage.
Senegal is also vying for its second AFCON title, having won their first at the 2021 edition in Cameroon.
In addition to the glory of being crowned champions, the winning team will receive $10 million in prize money, an increase of $3 million from the previous tournament.
This final will mark the fourth consecutive edition in which the winning coach is African, with either Morocco's Walid Regragui or Senegal's Pape Thiaw potentially joining the ranks of Djamel Belmadi (Algeria, 2019), Aliou Cisse (Senegal, 2021), and Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast, 2023).
Trophy Would Cap Years of Moroccan Investment
Winning AFCON has been a long-term ambition for Morocco, supported by King Mohammed VI, who first proposed using football as a means for social and economic development in 2008.
Significant investments have been made in stadium construction and renovation, including the opening of an academy in 2009 and a state-of-the-art training complex in 2019.
While Morocco has seen success on the pitch, much of it has come from age-grade teams or the 'A' side rather than the senior national team. Notably, they became the first African team to reach the FIFA World Cup semi-finals in Qatar 2022.
The Under-23 team won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and the Under-20s were crowned world champions after defeating Argentina in October last year.
Morocco has also secured victories in the last three editions of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and won the FIFA Arab Cup last month.
However, they have rarely come close to lifting the AFCON trophy since their only victory in Ethiopia in 1976, making this their second final appearance since then.
"We’re reaping the rewards of the golden age of Moroccan football, but we mustn’t forget where we come from," remarked Regragui, who was part of the last Moroccan team to reach an AFCON final, losing to Tunisia in 2004.
The 50-year-old coach faces immense pressure to deliver the trophy, having faced criticism for his tactics, and now stands before one final challenge. "I am very happy for the players and for the Moroccan people who truly deserve this," he stated after their semi-final victory over Nigeria on penalties. "It is a great gift for them to be in the final, but we will need to recover quickly as we exerted a lot of energy in the game."
Mane Looks to Bow Out in Glory
Senegal advanced past record seven-time champions Egypt in the semi-finals, thanks to a second-half goal from star player Sadio Mane.
The 33-year-old scored the winning penalty in the 2021 final against the same opponents and has proven to be a key player on significant occasions.
Mane has indicated that this may be his last AFCON appearance, expressing his desire to win one final time. "A final is meant to be won," he stated. "I will be very happy to play my last AFCON final, to enjoy it and to make my country win."
Senegal boasts a wealth of attacking talent alongside Mane, including Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson, Habib Diallo, Ismaila Sarr, and 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye.
Despite missing captain Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Habib Diarra due to suspension, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye remain key players from their previous triumph.
This will be Senegal's fourth final appearance, having previously lost in 2002 and 2019 before finally winning the title four years ago.
Thiaw, like Regragui, has experienced AFCON defeat as a player, having been part of the squad that lost on penalties to Cameroon 24 years ago. However, he has the opportunity to create his own legacy by potentially becoming the first coach to lead a team to both CHAN and AFCON glory.
Focus on the Details
Morocco features the tournament's top scorer, Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz, who scored in the first five matches before being held scoreless in the goalless draw against Nigeria.
Achraf Hakimi, the reigning African footballer of the year, captains the team, while Bounou, named the best goalkeeper on the continent for the second time in November, showcased his skills by saving two penalties against Nigeria.
The hosts have not lost a competitive match on home soil since November 2009, when they fell to Cameroon in Fes. The expected crowd of 69,500 in the capital will create a daunting atmosphere for their opponents.
However, Saiss, who led the team in their opening match against Comoros before suffering an injury, understands the importance of maintaining composure in such a high-stakes game. "It’s the kind of match where the details will make the difference," he noted. "We must keep our concentration, our desire to win, and our discipline to secure victory on Sunday."
One side stands on the brink of securing a second AFCON title and etching their name in history. While Morocco's victories throughout the tournament have ignited celebrations nationwide, Senegal has the chance to thwart a celebration that the Atlas Lions have awaited for half a century.