In an atmosphere charged with anticipation and excitement preceding the great African football extravaganza, Walid Regragui, the coach of the Moroccan national team, made strong statements during the press conference that preceded the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. These statements came as a direct and explicit response to the controversy stirred up by Hossam Hassan, the coach of the Egyptian national team, following the Pharaohs' loss to Senegal in the semi-final, where the latter strongly criticized the refereeing decisions.
Regragui was keen to address the prevailing culture of "blaming referees" in Africa, emphasizing that this mentality must change if African football is to develop. Speaking confidently, Regragui said, "It's common for the losing team to complain about the refereeing; the Egyptian national team complained after their match against Senegal, but we need to move beyond this. Refereeing mistakes are part of the game and happen in Europe as well as in Africa, and exaggerating them damages the image of the game and doesn't protect the referees.".
Recalling the World Cup spirit and professional mentality
To support his point of view, the Moroccan national coach cited the Atlas Lions' historic experience in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Regragui referred to the semi-final match against France, saying: "Everyone remembers that we deserved a clear penalty for Sofiane Boufal, but we didn't make a fuss or complain. We accepted the loss and went back to working hard, because the golden rule in football is that the best team usually wins, and hard work is the only way to make up for it.".
Senegal clash: A battle of giants in Rabat
Speaking about tomorrow's highly anticipated match against Senegal, Regragui acknowledged the difficulty of the task against an opponent he described as one of the strongest teams not only in Africa but in the world. This match holds immense strategic importance, as Morocco seeks to capitalize on home advantage and the support of its fans to claim the continental title, which has eluded them since 1976, while Senegal aims to reaffirm its continental dominance.
Regragui explained that playing on home soil in Rabat is a double-edged sword, saying: "We have a small advantage in the support of our large fan base, but the pressure and emotions are doubled. We have faced this pressure throughout the tournament, but the true mettle of the Moroccan national team always shows itself against the big teams, and our winning streak in the last two years is the best proof of that.".
A future vision that transcends the current title
In closing, Regragui emphasized that his ambition extends beyond simply winning this edition; he aims to instill a winning mentality and build a team capable of consistently qualifying for the finals. He added, "My goal is to add a second and even a third star to the national team's jersey in the future." He concluded with a final challenge to their opponents, saying, "Senegal will need to be exceptionally strong to snatch the title from the heart of Rabat.".
It is worth noting that the Moroccan national team secured its place in the final after a marathon match against Nigeria that ended in a goalless draw and was decided by penalty kicks with a score of 4-2, setting up a fiery encounter with the Lions of Teranga in a final that promises a lot of excitement and competitiveness.
