Moroccan Fans Spark Controversy: Khaled Bayoumi Calls Booing of Egypt's Anthem Unforgivable

Controversy Surrounds the National Anthem and Crowd Reactions

In a tense atmosphere during the Africa Cup of Nations third-place clash between Egypt and Nigeria in Morocco, Egyptian pundit Khaled Bayoumi commented on the whistles directed at the Egyptian national anthem by Moroccan fans.

He explained on his X account that he was busy with work and watched the game later, noting that the outcome was not his main concern.

Bayoumi added that he was struck by the passionate Nigerian support inside the stadium, giving the impression the match was taking place in Lagos rather than in an Arab city with Arab spectators.

He said he understood the tournament's circumstances, but that the constant whistles aimed at an Arab brother nation are hard to justify under any circumstances.

Egypt ultimately lost the match on penalties (4-2) after a goalless draw in regular time.

A related recap block showed the AFCON context with a snapshot of a Senegal vs Morocco matchup, underscoring the broader tournament atmosphere.

The article also featured a poll asking fans whether Mohamed Salah could bring AFCON glory to Egypt, reflecting the ongoing spotlight on the team’s hopes.

Punchline 1: Looks like the whistle blew for more drama than the referee did.

Punchline 2: If passion were a weapon, they’d win every match—just not in a friendly way.