AFCON Final Saga: I'm Not At Odds With Morocco, I Was Misinterpreted – Le Roy

AFCON Final Saga: I'm Not At Odds With Morocco, I Was Misinterpreted – Le Roy

 Sampson Adedeji

Veteran French coach Claude Le Roy has clarified his earlier remarks regarding the Appeal Committee decision on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, insisting that his comments were misinterpreted and not directed at Morocco, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Le Roy, who has managed several national teams across Africa, was previously reported to have criticised Morocco following the controversy surrounding the annulment of the AFCON 2025 final result.

Addressing the issue, the experienced tactician distanced himself from any perceived attack on the North African nation, instead pointing fingers at football’s global and continental leadership.

“The way people perceived what I said about the Africa Cup of Nations final… I blame two figures I consider shady: the CAF president and the FIFA president, but certainly not Morocco, which had absolutely nothing to do with the whole affair,” Le Roy stated.

The former Confederation of African Football (CAF) technical expert stressed that his disagreement was solely with the decision-making process that followed the tournament, particularly the timing of the ruling.

“People thought that because I contested this decision, which came two months later, I was somehow at odds with Morocco not at all. Morocco had an exceptional Africa Cup of Nations, the best in its history,” he added.

Le Roy further acknowledged the quality displayed by Morocco during the tournament, while also recognising Senegal’s performance in the final.

“Overall, they deserved to win, especially in the final, Senegal deserved it, but that had nothing to do with the players from the Kingdom of Morocco,” he concluded.

The controversy surrounding the 2025 AFCON final continues to generate debate across the continent, with tensions still evident following the Appeal Committee’s decision to overturn the initial outcome.