Former England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has strongly criticised the decision to strip Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations title, describing the ruling as unprecedented and damaging to the credibility of the competition.
Carragher was reacting after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeals Board overturned Senegal’s victory in the 2025 final and awarded a 3–0 win to Morocco.
Senegal had initially been crowned champions after defeating Morocco 1–0 following extra time in a dramatic final played on 18 January.
However, the result has since been nullified after CAF ruled that Senegal forfeited the match due to a temporary walk-off during the closing stages of regulation time.
The incident occurred after Morocco were awarded a late penalty, prompting protests from Senegal’s players, who briefly left the pitch.
Although they later returned to complete the match, with the penalty saved before Senegal went on to score the winner in extra time, the Appeals Board determined that the action breached tournament regulations.
Reacting to the decision, Carragher openly questioned the logic behind overturning a completed match result after celebrations had already taken place.
“Right, hold on a minute… so Senegal win the final, lift the trophy, celebrate, and now they’re told Morocco are the winners 3–0? Are you having a laugh?” he said.
His remarks have added to a growing global debate about the handling of the situation, with critics arguing that the decision raises serious concerns about governance and consistency in football administration.
Carragher also compared the situation to major European competitions, insisting that such a reversal would not happen in tournaments like the UEFA Champions League or the European Championship.
“In a Champions League final or a Euros final, this would never happen. You don’t hand out medals and then change the result later. Madness,” he added.
The ruling came after a successful appeal by Morocco, who cited breaches of competition rules.
CAF has maintained that its decision was based strictly on its regulations, which state that any team that leaves the pitch without the referee’s approval can be deemed to have forfeited the match, resulting in a 3–0 loss.
Despite that explanation, the decision has triggered widespread backlash across the football community, with Senegal preparing to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Carragher also pointed to the emotional impact the decision could have on both sets of players.
“Can you imagine the dressing room? Senegal players devastated, Morocco players confused… who’s holding the trophy now?” he said. “This is football or is it Monopoly?”
“The game should be decided on the pitch, not behind a desk. That’s why this would never fly in Europe.”
