Following Senegal’s dramatic triumph over hosts Morocco in a high-stakes 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, the Teranga Lions were crowned champions of Africa’s biggest football tournament.
Senegal defeated Morocco 1–0 after extra time in the final played on Sunday night in Rabat. The tense encounter ended goalless after regulation time before Pape Gueye struck the decisive goal in the 94th minute to hand Senegal their second AFCON title.
The final was marred by controversy after the referee awarded Morocco a VAR-reviewed penalty deep into injury time. However, the hosts failed to capitalise as Brahim Diaz’s attempted Panenka kick was brilliantly saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Despite late pressure from the Atlas Lions, Senegal held on to seal victory and bring the tournament to a dramatic close.
Following the final, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the full list of team and individual award winners, with Senegal and Morocco dominating the honours.
AFCON 2025 Full Winners List
Champions: Senegal
Runners-up: Morocco
Third Place: Nigeria
Fair Play Award: Morocco
Despite losing the final on home soil, Morocco were recognised for their discipline and conduct throughout the tournament, earning the Fair Play Award.
Individual Awards
Player of the Tournament: Sadio Mané (Senegal)
Mané was named the standout player after leading Senegal to glory, scoring two goals and playing a crucial role across the competition.Best Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Bounou earned the award following a series of impressive saves and consistent performances throughout the tournament.Top Scorer: Brahim Diaz (Morocco)
The Real Madrid star finished as the tournament’s highest goal scorer with five goals in seven matches.
The 2025 AFCON delivered moments of drama, controversy and standout performances, making it one of the most memorable editions in recent history.
CAF also disclosed that the tournament recorded the highest commercial success in African football history, with revenues increasing by over 90 per cent compared to previous editions.
The competition ended on a high note in Rabat, celebrating not just Senegal’s triumph but also the individual brilliance of stars like Sadio Mané and Morocco’s outstanding showing as hosts.
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