- Senegal will not be given the original AFCON trophy following their dramatic win over Morocco to win the 2025 edition on January 18
- Pape Gueye scored the winner in extra time after a stoppage time that had been characterised by drama after controversial officiating decisions
- We explain why the Teranga Lions won’t keep the original trophy in a decision that has nothing to do with how the game panned out
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner 😉
Senegal will not take home the original trophy after beating Morocco to lift the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday evening in Rabat.
Source: Twitter
The final was one of the most dramatic and controversial football games in history, not just in AFCON.
How Senegal won AFCON 2025
Senegal defied a loud home crowd, injuries, and suspensions of three key players, contentious referee decisions, and a late penalty to win their second title.
The game that had been cagey for the most part of the evening, save for Iliman Ndiaye and Ayoub El Kaabi misses either side of the half, came alive in stoppage time.
Senegal were denied a goal from a corner kick before Morocco were handed a penalty on the other end after VAR intervention.
Senegal players staged a protest and walked off the pitch before later returning. Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, which forced the game into extra time.
Pape Gueye’s goal in the 94th minute was the difference between the two sides as the Teranga Lions beat their Atlas counterparts.
Why Senegal won’t get original AFCON trophy
Pape Thiaw’s side were handed the trophy by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, but they returned it according to the CAF’s rules in place.
And no, it had nothing to do with the whole drama witnessed at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
According to CAF documents, teams are often given the original trophy for presentation purposes after the name of the new champions is engraved at the base. They hoist it and celebrate with it, but it is immediately returned to the governing body, and they are handed a replica instead.
Why AFCON winners don’t keep original trophies
The rule was adopted in 2002 after CAF had ‘lost’ two previous models, the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy used between 1957-1978 and the African Unity Trophy used from 1980-2000.
Afterwards, it was decided that the winning teams would only get replicas.
“By the 2000s, CAF’s leaders recognised that permanently losing trophies every era was both costly and disruptive to the competition’s visual continuity. From 2002 onward, the original trophy remains CAF property. Champions lift, parade and hold the original for their reign, then return it; their federations receive an official replica, and the squad receive medals. This ensures a consistent icon from decade to decade—critical for brand identity in the modern media age.”
“The original cup’s base is engraved with the latest champions, preserving an unbroken chain from 2002. CAF keeps the original under controlled custody between tournaments, and the cup is released to champions for limited periods under strict terms.”
Source: Twitter
Strict AFCON rules that winners must follow
In another document, CAF explains that the trophy must be returned to them two months before the next AFCON.
Chapter Three of the AFCON rules spells out the rules that the winners must follow, including ensuring the trophy is safe during the duration that they have it.
Only teams that win the cup three times receive an original copy of the trophy.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
