By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech

When Morocco and Senegal walk out at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday for the Africa Cup of Nations final, two men on opposite benches will be united by a shared history of heartbreak – and a burning desire for redemption, with Nigeria woven into both of their painful journeys.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui and his Senegal counterpart Pape Thiaw both know what it feels like to lose an AFCON final as players – and in both cases, their road to heartbreak passed through Nigeria.

Thiaw was part of the Senegal squad that reached the 2002 final, defeating Nigeria 2–1 after extra time in the semi-finals, only to suffer the agony of a penalty shootout loss to defending champions Cameroon after a goalless draw in the decider.

Two years later, Regragui played in the Morocco side that opened the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations by beating Nigeria 1–0, before going on to reach the final, where the Atlas Lions were edged 2–1 by hosts Tunisia.

Now, more than two decades on, both men return to the biggest stage in African football with a chance to rewrite their personal histories.

Senegal have since played in two further finals, losing to Algeria in 2019 before lifting the trophy for the first time in 2021 after defeating Egypt on penalties. For Thiaw, that long road from near-miss to triumph has shaped a coaching career built on resilience and belief.

Morocco’s journey has been longer and more frustrating. Before this tournament, the Atlas Lions had failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals in eight successive AFCON appearances since finishing runners-up in 2004.

That narrative changed under Regragui, the man who transformed Moroccan football with a historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, stunning Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way.

Appointed just three months before the World Cup after the dismissal of Vahid Halilhodzic, Regragui led Morocco to become the first African and Arab nation to reach the last four of the global showpiece, resetting expectations back home and across the continent.

Yet that success brought its own pressure. Morocco arrived at the 2025 AFCON as overwhelming favourites, only to be humbled by South Africa in the round of 16 – a setback Regragui says taught the team a vital lesson in humility.

“We have not won the AFCON for 50 years because we lacked humility in many tournaments,” Regragui said. “My job is to keep our feet on the ground. We came here with confidence, but nothing is guaranteed.”

Rejuvenated and re-focused, Morocco now stands one victory away from ending a half-century wait for a second continental title, their first since the 1976 triumph in Ethiopia.

For Thiaw, the final is another chapter in a remarkable rise. After guiding Senegal’s home-based side to African Nations Championship glory in 2023, he took charge of the senior national team in December 2024 and has lost just once since, to Brazil in a London friendly.

Dakar-born and capped 16 times, Thiaw brings the scars of 2002 – and the lessons of beating Nigeria before falling at the final hurdle – into Sunday’s showdown.

In Rabat, the Africa Cup of Nations final will be more than a battle for silverware. It will be a collision of two journeys shaped by pain, patience and perseverance – and for one of these coaches, a chance to finally turn final-day heartbreak into history.

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Top of Form

By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech

Despite their status as Africa’s top-ranked football nation, Morocco has just one Africa Cup of Nations title to their name – and it came half a century ago. On Sunday in Rabat, the Atlas Lions will attempt to close that long chapter of near-misses and heartbreak when they face Senegal in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Morocco’s only continental triumph came in 1976 in Ethiopia, a time when the current monarch, King Mohammed VI, was still a teenager. He appears in a famous group photograph with that victorious squad, a team inspired by the lethal finishing of centre forward Ahmed Faras.

The reception of the AFCON-winning team of Morocco in 1976. In the middle, wearing a blue suit, is Prince Mohammed, who is today King Mohammed VI.

Since then, Morocco have repeatedly knocked on the door of continental glory without quite breaking through. They were runners-up in Tunisia in 2004, losing 2–1 to the hosts, and suffered painful semi-final exits to Nigeria in 1980, Cameroon in 1988 and Egypt in 2006 – with each of those conquerors going on to lift the trophy.

Now, 50 years on, Morocco are back in a final, chasing a second crown and seeking to validate the remarkable rise of their football under King Mohammed VI, whose close association with sport predates his enthronement in July 1999 following the passing of his father, King Hassan II.

This year’s final carries striking historical parallels. In 1976, Morocco beat Nigeria on their way to the title before defeating Guinea, another West African nation, in the decisive match. Half a century later, Nigeria have again fallen to Morocco, while another West African powerhouse, Senegal, stands between the Atlas Lions and continental glory. Even the third-place playoff mirrors history, with Nigeria and Egypt once more contesting the bronze medal.

Morocco’s preparations and organisation for the tournament have drawn widespread praise, with world-class stadiums and seamless logistics showcasing the country’s ambition to set new benchmarks for African football. The North African kingdom has invested heavily in infrastructure and human capital, positioning itself as a continental hub with growing political and financial influence in the global game.

Sunday’s final offers Morocco the chance to underline their standing as one of Africa’s dominant football nations and finally end a 50-year wait for a second Africa Cup of Nations title. Against a formidable Senegal side, the Atlas Lions will not only be playing for silverware, but for history itself.

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The Confederation of African Football said it has had a 90% increase in commercial revenue for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, calling it “the most successful commercial story in the history of African football”, but without providing any figures.

CAF stated on Friday that this was due to the increase in commercial partners, media rights distribution, and expansion into new markets, most notably in Asia.

“The growth has been matched by a steady expansion of the sponsor portfolio, with the number of commercial partners increasing from nine during the 2021 tournament to 17 at the finals in Ivory Coast in 2023,” a statement from African football’s controlling body said.

“For the 2025 edition in Morocco, CAF has continued to attract more partners and now has 23 sponsors.

“This expansion reflects both the attraction of new global brands and the retention of existing partners, for whom the Afcon has been an excellent return on investment,” the statement added.

In its financial statements released at its congress last year, CAF said it had an income of $96 million in net contract revenues for the last Cup of Nations.

CAF, in its annual report last year, said the tournament in Morocco was forecast to contribute $114 million in net profit.

-Reuters

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