At 10 pm this Sunday, the eyes of football fans in Africa and the world will be on the dream final of the current edition of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations , where the Moroccan national team (the Atlas Lions) will meet their Senegalese counterparts (the Lions of Teranga) in a football summit that promises a lot of excitement and competitiveness.
Morocco's starting lineup against Senegal
The Moroccan national team enters this historic match under the leadership of its national coach, Walid Regragui, with its sights set on clinching the continental title that has eluded Moroccan trophies since 1976. Regragui has decided to field his full attacking force, drawing on the experience of World Cup stars and the dynamism of young players. The official lineup is as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou.
- Defense line: Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina, Noussair Mazraoui.
- Midfield: Nael El Aynaoui, Bilal El Khannous, Ismail Sibari.
- Attack line: Abdel Samad Zalzouli, Ayoub El Kaabi, Brahim Diaz.
Senegal's starting lineup for the match against Morocco
Meanwhile, the Senegalese national team, under the leadership of coach Pape Thiaw, seeks to reaffirm its continental dominance, relying on a squad of professionals playing in the world's strongest leagues. Senegal's lineup for the final is as follows:
- Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy.
- Defense line: Antoine Mendy, Mamadou Sarr, Moussa Niakaté, Malick Diouf.
- Midfield: Idrissa Djana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Lamine Kamara.
- Forwards: Sadio Mane, Nicholas Jackson, Elman Ndiaye.
The two teams' journey to the dream final
The path to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final was far from easy for either team, but rather the result of epic encounters in the knockout stages. The Moroccan national team secured its place in the final after a marathon match against a strong Nigerian side, with the Atlas Lions ultimately prevailing in a penalty shootout in the semi-final, reflecting the mental fortitude of Regragui's squad.
On the other hand, the Senegalese national team qualified after an exciting African classic against the Egyptian national team, where Sadio Mane’s teammates managed to win with a clean goal scored by the star Mane himself, confirming their readiness to defend their chances of winning the title.
The importance of the match and the historical context
This match holds special significance beyond being merely a continental final; it pits Morocco, fourth in the 2022 Qatar World Cup and seeking to translate their global success into continental dominance, against Senegal, who have established themselves as one of Africa's strongest teams in the last decade. A victory today would represent the end of a decades-long jinx for Morocco, while for Senegal it would solidify their position as a dominant force in African football.
Channels broadcasting the Morocco vs. Senegal match
The Morocco vs. Senegal match is scheduled to be broadcast exclusively on beIN Sports channels, specifically on beIN Sports MAX HD1 , with commentary by a selection of Arab commentators, to cover this major football event.
