A controversial decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip Senegal of its Africa Cup of Nations title and award it to Morocco has sparked a wave of reaction across the soccer world.
Several Senegalese players who celebrated the championship on January 18th have responded to the Appeals Committee’s ruling with irony, disbelief and direct messages on social media.
Posts began to proliferate just minutes after the resolution was announced. Photos with the trophy, videos of the on-field celebration, and memories of the festivities in Senegal appeared on the social media accounts of several members of the Lions of Teranga squad, signaling clear disagreement with the decision.
Pathé Ciss, a midfielder for Rayo Vallecano, was among the most outspoken. The player shared images of the celebration following the victory over Morocco on Instagram and didn’t hesitate to post a sarcastic message on X: “You can give the crybabies three more goals”.
Vous pouvez ajouter encore 3 buts en faveur des lloron😂✌🏿
🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳CHAMPIONS D’AFRIQUE 2 0 2 5🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/ekIftZWsI1— Pathé Ciss 🇸🇳 (@pathe_22) March 17, 2026
Pape Demba Diop, a midfielder for Toulouse, also expressed disbelief, reacting harshly to the ruling: “I think we’re in an asylum”.
Other key players from that historic triumph, such as Habib Diarra and Moussa Niakhaté, opted for a more symbolic tone. Both posted photos of themselves lifting the cup and moments from the massive celebratory parade in Senegal, recalling the significance of the title for the nation.
The official account of the Senegalese national team also joined the response, publishing a video of the players celebrating their return to the country after being crowned champions on its social media channels – a gesture widely interpreted as an implicit response to the controversial ruling.
— Equipe du Sénégal (@GaindeYi) March 17, 2026
