Next Sunday, the eyes of football fans across the African continent will be on the Moroccan capital, Rabat, which will host the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The final match will bring together the Moroccan national team, the home team, and their strong Senegalese counterparts, in a confrontation whose importance is not limited to winning the title, but also represents a quest for personal redemption for the two coaches, Walid Regragui and Pape Thiaw.
This encounter carries a special dramatic weight, as both coaches share painful memories from their playing days; both have tasted the bitterness of losing the final of the same tournament. Former Senegalese striker Pape Thiaw witnessed the shattering of their dream in the 2002 Mali edition, when the Lions of Teranga lost the title to Cameroon on penalties after a marathon goalless draw. Just two years later, Moroccan right-back Walid Regragui experienced the same scenario in Tunisia in 2004, when the Atlas Lions fell to the Eagles of Carthage 1-2 in Rades.
The knot of history and the ambition to break the curse
This match holds immense strategic and historical importance for the Moroccan national team, which is striving to end a nearly half-century drought of continental titles. Since their sole triumph in Ethiopia in 1976, the Moroccans have been plagued by misfortune on numerous occasions, failing to progress beyond the quarterfinals in eight consecutive appearances prior to this edition, with the exception of their 2004 victory. Morocco's qualification for the final on home soil further bolsters hopes of capitalizing on the footballing boom the Kingdom is experiencing, particularly following their historic achievement at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
On the other hand, Senegal's reaching the final confirms its recent footballing dominance on the continent. After losing the 2002 and 2019 finals, Senegal finally succeeded in claiming gold in the previous edition held in Cameroon. Pape Thiaw, who took over from Aliou Cissé in December 2024, seeks to prove his worthiness of preserving his predecessor's legacy and confirming that Senegalese football continues to produce talented players and competent coaches.
local mindset clash
This final highlights a radical shift in the African coaching landscape, pitting two highly accomplished national coaches against each other, coaches whose expertise has surpassed that of foreign coaches. Walid Regragui, who made history by leading Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals – the first Arab and African team to achieve this feat – enters the match armed with tactical experience honed after the lesson learned from the loss to South Africa in the previous edition. Regragui emphasized the need for humility and cautioned against relying on pre-tournament predictions, noting that the team has been rejuvenated with a blend of youth and experience.
In contrast, Pape Thiaw boasts a promising coaching record, having led Senegal's national team to victory in the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria, defeating the host nation in the final. This achievement instilled in Thiaw the confidence to lead the senior national team, and his philosophy is based on tactical discipline and the fighting spirit that characterized his playing career in the French, Spanish, and Russian leagues.
As the Rabat stadium prepares to host this footballing spectacle, the question remains: Who will succeed in turning the tears of the past into a smile of victory? Will Regragui break Morocco's 50-year curse, or will Tiao add a new title to Senegal's trophy cabinet and confirm its leadership of the continent? The answer will be revealed in 90 minutes, and perhaps more, of pure football excitement.
