Ikpeba: Moroccan Fans Would Have Backed Super Eagles in AFCON 2025 Final

Former Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba has insisted that Moroccan fans would have backed the Super Eagles in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations had Nigeria defeated the Atlas Lions in the semi-final.

Ikpeba, speaking in a radio interview on Monday, criticized Senegal for walking off the pitch during the final against Morocco after a controversial refereeing decision went against them.

Nigeria eventually lost 4-2 to Morocco in Rabat, but Ikpeba pointed out that the Eagles enjoyed massive support in their third-place playoff against Egypt, which they won by the same scoreline.

He argued that Moroccan fans genuinely admired the Nigerian players and would have rallied behind them if the hosts had been eliminated earlier.

‘Sometimes when I hear the negative things about Morocco, I feel sad because they hosted one of the greatest AFCONs. They promoted Africa with their infrastructure, the stadium,’ Ikpeba said.

‘If the Moroccans had lost to us in the semi-final, I’m sure they would have come out to support our boys in the final because they love our boys. They came out to support us against Egypt. Didn’t you guys see it? If they didn’t like our boys, they would not have come out to support us.’

Ikpeba condemned Senegal’s actions in the final, where coach Pape Thiaw led his players off the pitch after Morocco were awarded a late penalty, following the disallowing of a goal for an infringement involving Achraf Hakimi.

‘What Senegal did in the final was terrible against African football. It is terrible, nobody should condone that. We’ve had history of referees not getting officiating right but that does not make you walk out of the pitch. In Lagos here, they said my penalty did not cross the line but we never walked out. So what Senegal did is sad for world football,’ he said.

The former African Footballer of the Year praised Morocco’s organization of the tournament, describing it as one of the best AFCONs he had witnessed.

He dismissed suggestions that the competition was set up for Morocco to win, stressing that the Atlas Lions would have accepted defeat had Nigeria beaten them.

‘We lost to Morocco due to penalty kicks, it was one of the best games I’ve seen at the AFCON for a long time. A section of the media said this AFCON was set up for Morocco to win, which I think is wrong. That narrative should stop. If Morocco had lost against us, they would have taken it,’ he added.

Meanwhile, CAF has postponed the disciplinary hearing against Senegal over their walk-off in the final, granting the West Africans more time to prepare their defence.