By Our Correspondent

National News – Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami has criticised the decision of the Confederation of African Football to strip Senegal national football team of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco national football team.

Odegbami described the ruling as “bizarre, condemnable and unjustifiable,” arguing that a trophy won on the pitch should never be taken away months after the final whistle.

The former Nigeria national football team international expressed disbelief that a championship decided during the tournament’s final match could later be reversed through administrative procedures.

According to him, Senegal had already been crowned champions in front of a global audience and had celebrated the victory worldwide before the governing body’s Appeals Committee overturned the result.

Odegbami said the controversial verdict had triggered widespread outrage among football fans and stakeholders across Africa and beyond.

He warned that the move could damage CAF’s credibility and erode confidence in the organisation responsible for managing African football competitions.

The ex-footballer questioned the motive behind the decision and said such a ruling risks undermining the spirit and integrity of the game.

While acknowledging that football regulations sometimes require interpretation in rare situations, he insisted that both the rules and common sense must work together when judging historic finals.

The dispute stemmed from events during the AFCON final, when Senegal’s players reportedly walked off the pitch for about 17 minutes after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco.

Odegbami explained that although such an action could ordinarily attract forfeiture under football rules, the match referee eventually allowed play to continue, which he believes changed the legal context of the incident.

After the match resumed, Morocco failed to convert the penalty, and Senegal went on to score the decisive goal that secured the championship.

Odegbami argued that once the referee restarted play and the game concluded, the result should have remained final.

He maintained that while CAF could punish any violations through disciplinary measures, altering the outcome of a completed AFCON final sets a dangerous precedent.

Odegbami therefore urged CAF to review its regulations and restore Senegal as the rightful champions of the 2025 tournament.