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Rabat – Yasser Al-Misehal, the President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), is facing heavy backlash from Moroccan football fans and media outlets after describing the Senegalese national team as the “champions of Africa.”
Speaking at a press conference about his team’s pre-World Cup friendly preparations in the United States, Al-Misehal announced: “We will face Ecuador on May 30, and the Senegalese national team, the African champions, on June 9. There is also a match that will be announced on June 4 against a lower-ranked team.”
Al-Misehal’s comments immediately ignited a firestorm across Moroccan sports circles and social media platforms. Fans and analysts dismissed his comments as a direct, unacceptable snub of official continental decisions.
The statement sparked intense controversy because the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Appeal Board recently officially stripped Senegal of the continental title, declaring Morocco the official African Champions following Senegal’s pitch walk-off and subsequent forfeit during the chaotic AFCON final in Rabat.
While the case is currently being contested by Senegal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Morocco remains the legally recognized holder of the continental crown. This makes the Saudi chief’s public remarks both highly sensitive and disdainful of official sporting decisions.
