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Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently unveiled the final shortlist for the National Team of the Year 2024, sparking widespread reactions online. Fans and social media users have expressed surprise over Morocco’s exclusion from the nominees, which include Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, DR Congo, South Africa, and Sudan.
The omission of Morocco, the team that finished fourth in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has consistently delivered strong performances on both continental and international stages, raised eyebrows. Many criticized CAF and questioned the criteria it used, especially given the team’s historic run in recent years, which saw them set new benchmarks for African football.
Fans voice concerns
Moroccan fans took to social media to voice their disappointment. Critics highlighted Morocco’s achievements, particularly their unprecedented World Cup semi-final appearance, as a major oversight.
Football fans flooded CAF’s post announcing the nominees, demanding answers about Morocco’s exclusion. One fan questioned, “Where is Morocco? Fourth in the world. How is this even possible?” Many fans called for greater transparency in how nominees are chosen for such prestigious awards.
Some, however, defended CAF’s decision, arguing that recent performances in African competitions might have been given more weight.
“It’s related to the African competitions, not the world cup, we don’t deserve it due to our performance in the last CAF in Ivory Coast,” a social media user said.
Another Moroccan netizen said that the annual award evaluates teams based on their achievements throughout the current year, rather than relying on past performances. “It’s already two years past the World Cup achievement ..,” they added.
“We should stop living off past victories,” another social media user remarked.
Adding fuel to the fire, Moroccan fans were further incensed by the absence of Soufiane Rahimi in the Player of the Year category.
Rahimi made headlines earlier this year by becoming the top scorer at the Paris 2024 Men’s Olympic Football Tournament, netting an impressive eight goals. His achievement marked a historic milestone, yet it failed to secure him a spot among CAF’s finalists for individual accolades.
