Context of the Third-Place Showdown
Egyptian media figure Mohamed Sharf El-Din weighed in on the Africa Cup of Nations third-place match between Egypt and Nigeria (Morocco 2025). The Pharaohs lost on penalties after a goalless draw on Saturday.
He spoke on his show on the Sada El-Balad channel, noting that some Moroccan fans whistled during the playing of the Egyptian national anthem, an act he called unacceptable.
He added that there should be a clear apology from the Moroccan Football Federation for the behavior of certain fans, stressing respect for Egypt and all teams taking part in the tournament.
Tensions around the Egypt team had already been rising, with coach Hossam Hassan and his assistant Ibrahim Hassan involved in clashes with fans and Moroccan media in recent days.
Punchline 1: If whistle-blowing were a sport, those fans would have invented a new cardio routine—wind sprint to the tune of the national anthem.
Punchline 2: And for diplomacy fans, the only thing louder than the whistle was the call for an apology—looks like even football comes with a soundcheck.
