Walid Regragui, the coach of the Moroccan national team, expressed his deep disappointment and regret over what he described as the "disappointing image" presented by African football during the Africa Cup of Nations final match between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat. Regragui's remarks came in the wake of the chaotic events that marred the match, specifically the Senegalese team's threat to walk off the pitch.
Chaos that damages the reputation of African football
In a press conference following the match, Regragui said: “We congratulate Senegal on the title, but the image we presented to the world of African football was disappointing, especially given the events surrounding the penalty awarded to Morocco in the dying moments.” He added sharply: “The atmosphere was unhealthy from the start. When a coach asks his players to leave the field, this is an action that was hinted at in the press conferences, and it is something that does not honor Africa or befit a continental tournament of this magnitude.”.
This criticism comes at a time when the African continent is striving to strengthen its position on the global football map, particularly after the recent historic achievements of Moroccan and African football on the international stage. Observers believe that such behavior revives negative stereotypes that continental and national federations are trying to dispel, as discipline and sportsmanship are considered fundamental pillars for the development and global marketing of the game.
A Hitchcockian scenario and the loss of the dream
Regarding the match, Regragui described it as a balanced "boxing match," with both teams sharing control 50-50. He touched on the crucial moment when Ibrahim Dias missed a penalty kick in stoppage time, saying: "The scenario was like something out of a Hitchcock film. A penalty kick in the last second could have given us the title, but football brings you back to reality harshly.".
Regragui pointed out that psychological pressure and a lack of experience in finals may have played a role, explaining: “It has been 22 years since we last reached this level, and this long absence may have affected how we dealt with the small details of the match. We missed the opportunity of a lifetime, and this is unfortunate for the Moroccan fans who were hoping for the title.”.
Background to the tension and the Senegalese response
It's worth noting that tensions preceded the match, as the Senegalese coach was late for the pre-match press conference in protest against what his federation described as a "lack of security" during the team's travel from Tangier to Rabat. In response, Pape Gueye, scorer of the winning goal and a player for Villarreal in Spain, addressed the criticism with a brief statement to the French channel M6: "We gave it our all and we didn't cheat. It was a very difficult match in front of an amazing crowd, and we are happy to be African champions.".
Al-Rakrak concluded his speech by taking full responsibility, stressing that the current generation will learn from this harsh lesson to come back stronger in the future, emphasizing the need to be dignified in defeat as well as in victory.
