Rooney said that if he were in the position of the Moroccan players, he would refuse the 2025 AFCON medal.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The British pundit and former Manchester United striker called out the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over its decision to award the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title to Morocco.
He slammed the African football governing body’s decision while commenting on the controversial verdict.
CAF recently stripped the Teranga Lions of the 2025 AFCON title, awarding it to the Atlas Lions following a ruling by the body’s Appeal Board.
The decision followed a petition by Morocco, which argued that Senegal’s conduct during a chaotic final constituted a forfeit.
Consequently, the board nullified the original 1-0 result and awarded Morocco a 3-0 walkover win, declaring the host nation the new continental champions. The board claimed Senegal had breached Articles 82 and 84.
ALSO READ: George Weah slams CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of AFCON title, urges CAS to overturn verdict
Reacting to the verdict, Rooney said that if he were in the position of the Moroccan players, he would refuse the medal.
He insisted that CAF’s decision to strip Senegal of the continental title is unfair because they earned the victory on the pitch.
“It’s crazy. If I were a Moroccan player, I wouldn’t accept it. Senegal beat them fair and square,” Rooney said. He added: “The Senegal team beat them fairly.”
Following the decision, the Senegalese FA has confirmed plans to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
