Lekjaa on AFCON Final Events: "We Chose Not to Express Public Dissatisfaction, Remaining True to Values of an Ancient Nation Spanning Over 14 Centuries"

Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, spoke about the events that accompanied the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, which saw the "Atlas Lions" crowned African champions. In a statement to the French magazine "Onze Mondial," Lekjaa said: "Victory remains a victory; it grants three points in the league and a star when winning a competition, and it remains etched in the history of the club or national team. As for us, what we deeply regret is that we had hoped for a more complete conclusion to the competition, a truly celebratory ending."

He continued: "Up until the 95th minute, all the elements of a major event were present. Generally, I prefer to simply recall that the institutions of the Kingdom of Morocco adhered to legality throughout all stages of this matter. Moreover, despite our disagreement with the initial decision, we chose not to express any dissatisfaction publicly. We remained faithful to the values of an ancient nation spanning over 14 centuries of history and continued the process in full respect of the applicable rules."

Lekjaa concluded: "We demanded the application of Articles 82 and 84, which are clear and precise and do not require any complex interpretation. At the end of the procedure, we obtained our rights."