Rabat – Former Morocco international Mustapha Hadji has pushed back against recent comments by Claude Le Roy following CAF’s decision to award Morocco the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Speaking on the French radio show “Rothen s’enflamme” on RMC, Hadji defended the CAF ruling that gave Morocco a 3-0 after determining that Senegal had forfeited the final by leaving the pitch without the referee’s permission. Senegal have since indicated they plan to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
‘Justice was served’
Hadji said the outcome was based on the rules of the game. “Justice was served,” he said. “Football has laws. If everyone starts doing what they want, then there is no structure. Morocco simply respected the rules.”
🗣💬 “La justice a été rendue. Il y a des lois dans le foot et il faut les respecter. On ne peut qu’en vouloir aux dirigeants de la CAF.”
Mustapha Hadji, légende du foot marocain, juge légitime la décision d’attribuer le titre de la CAN 2025 aux Lions de l’Atlas. pic.twitter.com/pbic33Ug54
— Rothen s’enflamme (@Rothensenflamme) March 18, 2026
Leaving the pitch could only be justified in serious situations, Hadji argued, stressing: “If the Senegal players were in danger or their lives were at risk, then I would understand.
But if every decision is contested like this, it becomes very difficult to manage a match.” But the 1998 African Ballon d’Or winner also conceded that the timing of CAF’s decision raised questions.
The verdict came nearly two months after the final. Hadji described this as “surprising,” especially since an earlier ruling had not gone in Morocco’s favor.
Still, he argued, this strange and scrutiny-inducing timing should be a pretext to dismiss its significance. “At the same time, institutions have to follow the process until the end. There are rules, and they must be applied,” he said.
Read also: Media-Twisting Morocco’s AFCON Title Will Not Change What Matters
Hadji also pointed to how the referee and other actors involved handled the situation on the night of the shambolic AFCON final. He suggested the referee was left to deal with the situation alone, even though officials present should have stepped in earlier.
“The referee was left isolated,” he said. “There were people there who knew the regulations and could have made a decision immediately. Waiting two months is too long.”
Despite Morocco being declared champions, Hadji admitted the title feels different. “Of course, we are happy to win, but it’s not the same feeling. It almost feels like a gift,” he said. “At some point, decisions have to be made on time. This damages the image of African football.”
He was more direct when addressing earlier comments by Claude Le Roy, who had suggested that behind-the-scenes “arrangements” played a crucial role in CAF’s reversal of the initial AFCON outcome.
“For me, he went too far,” Hadji said. “You cannot talk about ‘arrangements’ without naming anyone or bringing proof. I respect his career, but you have to be responsible with what you say.”
