Senegal snatched victory from Morocco to become two-time Africa Cup champions

The Senegal national team won the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, defeating tournament hosts Morocco in a dramatic final. The decisive match, held in Rabat, ended with a 1–0 victory after extra time.

The main drama unfolded in the closing moments of regular time. In the 90+24th minute, the referee awarded a highly controversial penalty against Senegal. Morocco forward Brahim Díaz stepped up, but his attempted Panenka failed — goalkeeper Édouard Mendy calmly saved the shot and sent the match into extra time.

Extra time was dominated by Senegal’s psychological advantage. The climax came in the 94th minute when Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye fired a powerful shot under the crossbar past Bono after an assist from Idrissa Gana Gueye. That goal proved to be the only and decisive one.

As a result, the “Lions of Teranga” won the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in their history. Senegal had previously claimed the continental title in 2021. Victory over Morocco in the final — especially on their home ground — firmly cemented Senegal’s status as one of Africa’s strongest national teams in recent years.

2025 African Cup of Nations Individual Awards:

Sadio Mane (Senegal) — Best Player.

Brahim Diaz (Morocco) — Top Scorer (5 goals).

Yacine Bounou (Morocco) — Best Goalkeeper.