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British columnist Jeremy Cross believes the recent final is a pivotal moment for football’s governing bodies, urging CAF and FIFA to choose between taking decisive action now or risking long-term damage to the sport’s credibility.
The AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal ended in controversy after a night of tension, interruptions and confusion, overshadowing Senegal’s 1-0 win after extra time.
In his column, Cross recalls that Senegal’s AFCON win was overshadowed by chaotic scenes late in the final, after head coach Pape Thiaw ordered his players to leave the pitch in protest of a stoppage-time penalty awarded to hosts Morocco.
“Senegal beat Morocco to win the Africa Cup of Nations. But this is just a footnote,” Cross wrote. “Because the final descended into utter farce and chaos.”
The incident followed the disallowed goal for Ismaila Sarr, ruled out for a foul, moments before Morocco were awarded a penalty with the match still goalless. According to Cross, Thiaw’s reaction crossed a line rarely seen at the elite level.
“The decision was too much for Senegal boss Pape Thiaw, who ordered his team off the pitch,” he wrote, adding that nearly 15 minutes passed before play resumed. While Cross acknowledges Sadio Mané’s role in calming the situation, he is scathing about Thiaw’s conduct, calling it “cretinous” and claiming it brought “utter shame on himself, his nation and an entire continent.”
Cross argues that allowing such behavior to go unpunished would undermine football’s foundations, warning of a dangerous precedent. “If a manager decided to haul his side off the pitch every time he didn’t agree with some of the referee’s decisions, we’d never reach the end of a match,” he wrote, invoking Sir Alex Ferguson as an example of a manager who frequently clashed with officials without abandoning games.
The columnist also questions the mood surrounding Morocco’s missed penalty, which Brahim Díaz saw saved by Édouard Mendy. Cross suggests Senegal’s muted reaction raised further concerns, writing, “Either Senegal were still in shock at the sheer madness of their manager. Or Diaz missed on purpose – and Senegal knew he would.”
Cross points to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s public intervention as evidence of the incident’s seriousness. Infantino wrote, “Decisions taken by the match officials must always be respected. Because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”
While welcoming the statement, Cross criticizes FIFA for deferring responsibility to CAF’s disciplinary bodies.
“If CAF are incapable of doling out a significant punishment,” Cross argued, “Infantino should intervene.”
In the strongest passage of his column, Cross calls for extreme sanctions, insisting Thiaw should receive a lifetime ban from football and Senegal should be stripped of the title.
“Make Morocco the winners,” he wrote, framing the punishment as necessary to protect the sport’s reputation.
He contrasts Thiaw’s actions with Mané’s response, praising the Senegal captain’s insistence on returning to the pitch and calling for him to receive the FIFA Fair Play Award.
