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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Egypt might be disappointed with failure to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final but coach Hossam Hassan said on Friday it had been a good experience ahead of the World Cup later this year.

Egypt lost in Wednesday’s semi-final to Senegal in Tangier but on Saturday will play Nigeria for the bronze medal at the tournament in Morocco.

“It has been very good preparation for us, we’ve tried several systems of play throughout the tournament and played against different types of opponents,” Hassan said.

“We came close to the final but that’s football,” he said of the 1-0 loss to Senegal.

“Overall, I’m satisfied with all that happened and what we achieved. We have a good team. We were away from home and did not have a lot of supporters.”

The match against Nigeria would be another opportunity to prepare for the World Cup, he added.

Egypt play in Group G with Belgium first up in Seattle on June 15, New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21 and Iran on June 26 back in Seattle.

Hassan said Egypt might have fallen short because of a lack of players at top clubs in Europe, in contrast to the two finalists Morocco and Senegal whose squads are filled with players at top European teams

“Players based in Europe gain better tactical acumen and become physically much stronger, and we need that added value to make us better,” he said.

Egypt’s 28-man squad had only three players based in Europe – captain Mohamed Salah from Liverpool, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City and Mostafa Mohamed from Nantes in Ligue 1.

“I think tomorrow’s game gives us a chance to continue preparations, but we always want to win. Egypt always plays to win, we are a team who have won seven Cup of Nations in the past,” Hassan said.

“We will evaluate after the competition where we need to improve. We will study the positive points in order to be much better in both defence and attack,” he added.

-Reuters

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By Kunle Solaja, Marrakesh, enroute to Casablanca

Nigeria will be aiming to further cement their status as Africa’s most consistent finishers when they face Egypt on Saturday in the third-place play-off of the Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca.

The Super Eagles are targeting a record-extending ninth AFCON bronze medal, having officially finished third on eight previous occasions — more than any other nation in the competition’s history. Victory would also mark Nigeria’s 17th top-three finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, another continental benchmark.

There is a deep historical thread linking Nigeria and Egypt in AFCON bronze-medal contests. Nigeria’s first-ever third-place finish came against Egypt exactly 50 years ago at the 1976 finals in Ethiopia, while the Pharaohs themselves have claimed six bronze medals and could move closer to Nigeria’s record with a win on Saturday.

Saturday’s encounter will also add another chapter to a rivalry that dates back to Nigeria’s maiden AFCON appearance in 1963, when the two teams met in Lagos. Since then, both sides have often crossed paths at crucial moments in the tournament.

Nigeria arrive in Casablanca after a dramatic semi-final exit to hosts Morocco, losing on penalties after a goalless draw. Prior to that setback, the Super Eagles had scored in 12 successive AFCON matches and had found the net in all five of their games at the current finals. Despite failing to score in the semi-final, Nigeria still boast 14 goals at the tournament — their highest tally at any AFCON edition.

The Super Eagles also carry a perfect record in third-place matches, having won all seven they have contested without ever requiring a penalty shoot-out. Six of those victories were secured by a single-goal margin, underlining Nigeria’s ability to manage high-pressure fixtures of this nature.

Egypt, meanwhile, are appearing in a third-place play-off for the sixth time after a narrow 1–0 semi-final defeat to Senegal. They have won three and lost two of their previous bronze-medal matches, although this will be their first appearance in a third-place match in the 21st century.

Beyond medals and records, Saturday’s match offers both teams the chance to end their AFCON 2025 campaigns on a positive note, with pride, history and continental bragging rights at stake.

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