- Senegal will not be awarded the original AFCON trophy following their shock victory over Morocco to win the 2025 edition on January 18
- Pape Gueye scored the winner in extra time after a break that was characterized by drama after controversial playing decisions
- We explain why the Teranga Lions will not keep the original trophy in a decision that has nothing to do with how the game went
Senegal will not take the previous trophy after defeating Morocco to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday evening in Rabat.
Source: Twitter
The final was one of the most controversial and exciting football games in history, not just in AFCON.
How Senegal won AFCON 2025
Senegal defied a huge home crowd, injuries and suspensions to three key players, controversial refereeing decisions, and a late penalty to win their second title.
A game that had been tight for much of the evening, with Iliman Ndiaye and Ayoub El Kaabi missing either side of the half, sprung to life at half-time.
Senegal were denied a goal from a corner kick before Morocco was awarded a penalty at the other end after the intervention of VAR.
The Senegalese players did protest and exit the field before returning later. Brahim Diaz missed a penalty, which forced the game into overtime.
Pape Gueye’s goal in the 94th minute was the difference between the two teams as Teranga Lions beat their Atlas counterparts.
Why Senegal was not given the real AFCON Cup
Pape Thiaw’s team was given the Cup by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, but they returned it according to existing CAF rules.
And no, it had nothing to do with all the events witnessed at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
According to CAF documents, teams are often given the Preliminary Cup for presentation purposes after the name of the new champions is carved in camp. They hold it up and celebrate with it, but it is immediately sent back to the governing body, and they are given a copy instead.
Why AFCON Winners Don’t Keep Original Trophies
The law was passed in 2002 after CAF ‘lost’ two previous models, the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Cup used between 1957-1978 and the African Union Cup used from 1980-2000.
Later, it was decided that the winning teams would only get a copy.
“By the 2000s, CAF leaders realized that losing trophies every time was costly and damaged the continuity of the competition. From 2002 onwards, the original trophy remains CAF’s property. The champions raise it, parade it and hold the original for their reign, then return it; their federations receive official copies, and the squads receive medals. This ensures a consistent mark from decade to decade—crucial for brand identity in the modern era of the media.”
“The previous cup squad has been carved out of recent champions, maintaining an unbroken chain since 2002. CAF keeps nature under regulatory control between competitions, and the trophy is awarded to champions at short intervals under strict conditions.”
Source: Twitter
Strict AFCON rules that winners must follow
In another document, CAF states that the trophy must be returned to them two months before the next AFCON.
Chapter Three of the AFCON rules sets out the rules that the winners must follow, including ensuring the trophy is safe at all times in their possession.
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Only teams that win the trophy three times receive the original copy of the trophy.
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