Senegalese team members insist their emotions are genuine, not fabricated, following CAF's reversal of AFCON championship result

Social media has been abuzz with reactions from several players of the Senegal national football team, who have taken to online platforms to express their thoughts after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in a contentious decision.

This dramatic turn of events unfolded on Tuesday night, 58 days after Senegal's 1-0 victory over Morocco in the final, which was played in Rabat, with CAF declaring Morocco's national football team the AFCON winners.

According to a statement released by CAF, its Appeal Board ruled that Senegal forfeited the match in line with Article 84 of the competition's regulations, resulting in a 3-0 victory being awarded to Morocco.

The statement from CAF explicitly stated that "the Senegal National Team is declared to have forfeited the Final Match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, with the result of the Match being recorded as 3–0 in favour of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)".

The controversy surrounding the final match, where Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest after Morocco were awarded a contentious penalty in stoppage time, ultimately led to this ruling.

Despite the dramatic circumstances, Senegal went on to win the match in extra time, with Captain Sadio Mane convincing his teammates to return to the pitch after goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved the resulting spot-kick.

In response to CAF's decision, several Senegal players have taken to social media to post images and videos from their title win, including Pathe Ciss, who posted a picture with the trophy accompanied by laughing emojis.

Defender Moussa Niakhate also shared his thoughts, writing "This is not AI, this is real" alongside images from the final, while midfielder Habib Diarra shared photos and clips from the team's celebratory parade in Dakar.

Goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf shared a poignant photo of the team lifting the trophy, captioning it "In the eyes of the entire world", as the team continues to bask in the glory of their win.

Veteran midfielder Idrissa Gueye reflected on the win, writing "Titles, trophies, medals… all of that is fleeting, what truly matters is that every supporter can return home and be with their family", highlighting the team's sense of pride and dignity.

Gueye's statement continued, "The Senegalese people have shown who they are: dignified in victory, dignified in adversity, that is Teranga, we know what we experienced that night in Rabat, and that, no one can ever take away from us, inch'Allah".

Defender El Hadji Malick Diouf added his thoughts, stating "Some things can't be bought or sent; they must be earned on the field", as the team stands by their hard-won victory.

Ismail Jakobs also shared moments from the team's celebrations, as the players continue to relish their AFCON win despite CAF's decision to overturn it.

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has released an official statement, describing CAF's decision as "unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable", arguing that it undermines the integrity of African football.

The FSF stated, "The Senegalese Football Federation denounces this unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision, which discredits African football", confirming that they will file an appeal with CAS "as soon as possible" to defend their rights and the interests of Senegalese football.

The federation reaffirmed its commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice, stating "The FSF reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values of integrity and sporting justice and will keep the public informed of developments in this matter".