Anjishnu Roy 18/03/2026 6comments  |  Jump to last

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye find themselves on the receiving end of an extremely harsh decision after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to overturn the result of the AFCON final and strip Senegal of the title.

The decision comes two months after the Lions of Teranga beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in a controversy-marred final in Rabat and in response to the Senegalese players walking off the pitch in protest after the hosts were awarded a bizarre penalty in the final minutes of the game.

They came back on the field a few minutes later and the game proceeded to extra time after Brahim Diaz missed the ensuing spot-kick.

Pape Gueye scored the only goal of the game in the 94th minute to help Senegal win their second continental title but the CAF have overturned the decision and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory instead.

Ndiaye has taken to Instagram showing a picture of Senegal lifting the trophy and remarked: “Earned not given!”

Meanwhile, Gueye, who won the tournament for a second time, wrote in French: “Titles, trophies, medals... all of this is fleeting. What really matters is that every supporter can go home and meet his family.

“The Senegalese people have shown what they are: worthy in victory; worthy in ordeal. This is the Teranga.

“We know what we experienced that night in Rabat. And no one will be able to take that away from us, inch’Allah (God willing).”

Both Ndiaye and Gueye were greeted with a hero’s welcome on their return to Finch Farm following their victory. Ahead of Everton’s fixture at home against Leeds United posed for photographs on the pitch with fans who had made a banner reading: “Our Kings of Africa” wearing their medals on their necks.

 
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Reader Comments (6)

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Paul Hewitt
1 Posted 18/03/2026 at 13:23:53
You're still the champions in my eyes guys.
Mike Powell
2 Posted 18/03/2026 at 13:34:40
Ridiculous decision,they won it fairly,if they want to take it off them, make them play it again, but with a different ref, but really speaking they should keep the trophy,which they earned.Starting to dislike the way football is run, with the Chelsea slap on the wrist and now this ridiculous.
Mark Wynne
3 Posted 18/03/2026 at 13:53:04
If people thought it was a joke tournament before, this will have done nothing to dissuade that view. From ball boys hiding towels and dragging the reserve goalkeeper around by his ankles to laser pointers being aimed at players to a team downing tools for twenty minutes because they don’t like the fact the other team got awarded a penalty, the whole thing was a farce. When the Senegal coach called his players off, they should have told the team to get the fuck back on or forfeit the game. Sad for our boys obviously but alongside the Chelsea news and Man City’s endless PSR case football’s the winner!
Christy Ring
4 Posted 18/03/2026 at 14:04:26
Aren’t we lucky that CAF aren’t in charge of the Premiership, Man City & Chelsea would definitely be relegated!!!!
Si Cooper
5 Posted 18/03/2026 at 14:18:45
“When the Senegal coach called his players off, they should have told the team to get the fuck back on or forfeit the game.”

Isn’t that what actually happened?

It seems strange that they allowed the game to resume and then rule it forfeited months later. If they were told they could either stay off the pitch and forfeit the game, or get back out and it would continue, then it shouldn’t be possible to reverse that decision later.

I’m not specifically supporting the Senegalese team, just saying a binding agreement should have been approved at the time or the game should have been abandoned and the statutory rules applied.

Christy Ring
6 Posted 18/03/2026 at 14:37:30
Si, the manager took them off the field, and Mane was trying to get them to play on.

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