Former Wayne Rooney has voiced strong criticism of the Confederation of African Football following its controversial decision to retroactively award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to Morocco national football team. Rooney described the ruling as “crazy,” insisting that Senegal national football team were the rightful winners.
The debate stems from the AFCON final held in Rabat on January 18, 2026, where Senegal initially triumphed 1–0 after extra time. On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeals Board overturned the result, awarding Morocco a 3–0 victory by forfeit, citing a brief 17-minute walk-off by Senegalese players in protest of a late penalty as a breach of tournament regulations.
Speaking on the aftermath of the decision, Rooney expressed disbelief that a result achieved on the pitch could be overturned months later in a boardroom.
“It’s crazy. If I was a Morocco player, I wouldn’t accept it,” Rooney said. “The team that performed better on the pitch should win, and Senegal did that.”
He emphasized that despite the protest, the match had continued, the penalty was missed, and Senegal went on to score the decisive goal in open play—further reinforcing his belief that the original result should stand.
The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football has condemned the ruling as “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable” and confirmed its intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The FSF argues that because the referee allowed the match to continue and complete normally, the on-field result must be recognized.
The controversy has reignited debate over CAF’s disciplinary processes and the fairness of retroactive decisions in African football, leaving fans and pundits divided over the legitimacy of Morocco’s awarded title.
