Morocco’s national team will look to end a 50-year wait for their second Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title when they face off against Senegal in the final on Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The North African giants, currently ranked 11th in the world, will be up against a Senegalese side sitting eight places below them, but the Teranga Lions are also bidding for their second Afcon crown, having claimed their maiden trophy in 2021.
The game promises to be a tantalising encounter between two of the continent’s powerhouses. Morocco boast the tournament’s best defensive record, with five clean sheets and only one goal conceded from the penalty spot. However, they will face a stern examination from a Senegalese team that has scored 12 times en route to the final.
Walid Regragui’s Morocco side have been on a mission to end their 50-year wait for a second Afcon title, with the manager under intense pressure to deliver the trophy. The team has benefitted from the country’s huge investment in football infrastructure, including the construction and renovation of stadiums, the opening of an academy, and a state-of-the-art training complex.
Senegal, meanwhile, will be led by their talisman Sadio Mane, who is keen to bow out of the Afcon stage with another winner’s medal. The former Liverpool forward proved his big-game pedigree by netting the winning penalty in the 2021 final against Egypt, and he will be eager to add to his tally in what he has suggested will be his last appearance at the continental showpiece.
The final promises to be a captivating encounter, with both teams boasting an array of attacking talent. Morocco’s Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz is the tournament’s top scorer, while Senegal can call upon the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson, Habib Diallo, and Ismaila Sarr to provide a goal threat.
Whichever side emerges victorious, the champion will pocket $10 million in prize money – an increase of $3 million from the previous tournament. For the fourth edition in a row, the winner will be coached by an African, with Regragui or Senegal’s Pape Thiaw looking to emulate the achievements of their predecessors.
