Former Super Eagles captain says AFCON victory must be earned on the field, not awarded by administrative decisions.
Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has expressed strong criticism of the recent CAF decision to award Morocco the 2025 AFCON title after Senegal were stripped of their victory. Troost-Ekong insists that such a triumph, decided off the pitch, feels hollow and cannot be properly celebrated.
Troost-Ekong said: “Every African player dreams of winning this tournament, but if I were in Morocco’s position, I couldn’t celebrate it. Honestly, I would feel ashamed. Success like that doesn’t feel right, it has to be earned on the pitch. I don’t think I could accept it, but rejecting it publicly would only create more drama. Either way, it’s not something that can truly be celebrated.”
Reflecting on his own AFCON experience, he added: “I led Nigeria in the AFCON final two years ago, and we lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast. I would never go back to change that result. It happened on the pitch, and that’s how it should remain.”
On the emotional toll for players, Troost-Ekong continued: “It would be extremely frustrating to play through a tournament only for the outcome to be changed afterwards. Senegal will always see themselves as champions and I would feel the same in their place, but now others will question it. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for those players.”
The former captain’s comments highlight the ethical and emotional dilemmas arising when football titles are decided administratively rather than on the field, fueling ongoing debate about fairness and integrity in African football.
