Pellegrini weighs in: Morocco’s stars won’t crown the title this way—let the trophy sit vacant

Pellegrini weighs in on AFCON final controversy

Manuel Pellegrini, the seasoned Real Betis coach, commented on the AFCON 2025 final drama, noting that Sofiane Amrabat and Abdessamad Zaazouli helped Morocco clinch the title and that the surrounding debate deserved attention. He described the match's outcome as a focal point of ongoing discussions about how titles should be awarded.

The news followed CAF's decision to strip Senegal of the trophy and award it to Morocco 3-0 after the Senegalese team withdrew from the final, a decision accepted by the Moroccan federation upon appeal.

In the pre‑match press conference ahead of Betis' La Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao, Pellegrini said he spoke with Amrabat and Zaazouli and that winning the title is always important, even if not in the exact way they hoped.

He added that he is not sure the move is fully justified; the situation is highly complex—no team should be allowed to withdraw at will, but a crown cannot be handed out after a defeat.

Perhaps it would have been better to leave the title vacant. It's not a settled issue, and time will tell what the final resolution will be.

Previously, Pellegrini criticized the Senegalese reaction to Morocco's penalty in January, saying withdrawal from a match is not appropriate for this sport.

Read also: articles about similar cases where federations overturned decisions and sparked debates about fair play.

Punchline 1: If a trophy can vanish from a final, perhaps we should hire a magician for the presentation—ta-da, and the crowd goes home without a trophy or a verdict.

Punchline 2: In football, drama is the real sport; the trophy is just the expensive accessory that glitters after the show—until the lights go out, anyway.