AFCON glory will prove Morocco are ´major football nation´, says Regragui

Walid Regragui urged Morocco to prove they are a “major football nation” by winning the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, where they face Senegal in Sunday’s final.

Tanzania, Cameroon and Nigeria have all been swept aside in the knockout stage en route to Morocco’s second AFCON showpiece, and first since 2004.

Regragui’s side lost their last such final 2-1 to Tunisia over two decades ago, but Wednesday’s penalty shoot-out victory over Nigeria in the last four has the nation dreaming of glory once again.

“I think we deserve to be in the final. We have played top teams like Mali, Cameroon and Nigeria, and now we will be facing another of the best teams,” said Regragui.

“Eventually, people are going to accept that Morocco are actually a major football nation. But to go to the next step, we have to win titles, so Sunday’s match is really important in terms of our history.”

Pre-tournament expectations were high for the hosts, though Regragui says even an early exit would not have changed his mindset.

“Even if we had been knocked out in the first round, that would not have prevented me from believing in myself and telling myself I am a good coach,” Regragui said.

“What I have done in the past cannot be taken away from me. I am not expecting people to give me anything. I am not claiming to be the best. The most important thing is that Morocco are in the final.”

استعدادات متواصلة لمنتخبنا الوطني قبل لقاء النهائي أمام السنغال

Focused preparations ahead of the Final against Senegal #DimaMaghrib pic.twitter.com/9B067s4P4d

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) January 16, 2026

Senegal progressed past Sudan and Mali before their 1-0 victory over Egypt in the semi-final, making the showpiece of this competition for the third time in the last four editions.

Pape Thiaw has a wealth of experience to call upon, too, with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, captain Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye some of the most notable figures.

Koulibaly will be suspended for the final, however, while former Liverpool star Sadio Mane has already said this game will be his last at the tournament.

“I am a soldier of the nation, and I try to give my all every day, whether in training or in matches,” Mane said.

“But that’s not the most important thing for me. The most important thing is to bring this cup to Dakar.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Senegal – Sadio Mane

Mane has created the most chances (18) at this tournament, with all of those coming from open play. That is the most chances any player has created from open play on record (since 2010) at a single AFCON.

The former Liverpool star has scored four goals in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations, twice as many as any other Senegal player, and he could become only the fifth player in AFCON history to score five or more knockout goals (excluding third-place play-off).

Morocco – Brahim Diaz

Diaz could become the first player to score in six different matches at a single staging of the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as the first Morocco player to win the Golden Boot outright, having netted five times in six matches thus far.

In addition, having scored in the last 16 against Tanzania and in the quarter-finals against Cameroon, Diaz could become the second Morocco player to score three goals in the knockout rounds at a single edition of AFCON, after Youssef Mokhtari in 2004.

MATCH PREDICTION – SENEGAL WIN

This will be the first-ever Africa of Nations match between Senegal and Morocco, though the Opta supercomputer backed Thiaw’s side as the pre-match favourites.

Indeed, Sunday will be the first final in the competition to see two teams face each other for the first time since 1996, when South Africa beat Tunisia 2-0.

Senegal are the form team at this tournament, given no side has played (24) or won (17) more matches than them at AFCON since the 2019 edition.

The Lions of Teranga have also scored the most goals (38) and kept the most clean sheets (16) in this time, though Morocco head into this contest in fine form.

Morocco have kept four consecutive clean sheets at AFCON for the first time, with only Ivory Coast (six in 2012 and five in 1992) and Cameroon (five in 2002) ever managing more shutouts in a row in a single edition.

And Senegal will be aware of their struggles on the big occasion. Having failed to score a single goal in their previous three AFCON finals, Senegal are the only team to play in more than one final in the competition and never score.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Senegal – 41.8%

Morocco – 32%

Draw – 26.2%