Hakimi's Controversy: Did Morocco Deserve the Fair-Play Prize in AFCON 2025 Final?

Match context and final outcome

The Africa Cup of Nations final of 2025 pitted Morocco against Senegal in a high-stakes showdown that kept fans glued to the screen until the final whistle. The match swung on a late sequence: a Senegal goal was ruled out by the referee, followed by a Morocco penalty after a VAR review, leading to heated protests from the Senegal camp.

Despite the tension, the game moved into extra time, where Senegal finally secured the title with a 94th‑minute strike from Pape Gueye, delivering a dramatic finish to an already feverish night.

Worn towels, tense moments, and on-field distractions

A notable talking point highlighted by Mundo Deportivo involved a bizarre towel episode around Edouard Mendy, with ball kids and staff shown in clips attempting to grab his towel as rain cascaded onto the pitch. The scene prompted intervention from the substitute keeper and added a layer of chaos to the match’s closing moments.

The report also noted moments of opportunism in the Moroccan box, as Ismail Saibari and Achraf Hakimi appeared to capitalize on the disarray near the penalty area, notably tossing a towel behind advertising boards as the crowd roared. Such moments fed the narrative that this final was as much about nerves and gamesmanship as about skill and speed.

Ultimately, the Spanish publication underscored the irony: Hakimi, who was implicated in the off-ball drama, was also the player entrusted with Morocco’s Fair Play award as the trophy went to the Atlas Lions despite the chaotic finish.

Aftermath and implications for Fair Play

The aftermath left fans debating whether the reward for fair play truly reflected the on-pitch conduct in a match defined by controversy and late drama. Morocco’s celebration for the award sat awkwardly alongside the memory of a dramatic, rain-soaked finale that will be discussed for years to come.

Punchlines aside, the night proved that football is a soap opera with a field instead of a stage: it has twists, teases, and a cliffhanger you’d never script in the newsroom. And if you thought the towels were done, you clearly didn’t watch the end of this saga—where even the gear got a cameo in the narrative.

In the end, the scoreboard told the truth on the field, but the questions lingered: was the outcome defined by play, or by the theatre surrounding it? Either way, fans got a final that will be remembered for its drama and its laughs.