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Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi

Senegal boss & Morroco's Hakimi banned after AFCON final chaos

Senegal boss Pape Thiaw and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi have been hit with a ban following the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final. Senegal's dramatic 1-0 win over the tournament's hosts was marred by violence, Thiaw calling his players to walk off the pitch in protest over the officiating, and Brahim Diaz's wretched Panenka penalty. Now, bans and fines have been handed out by the Confederation of African Football.

Africa Cup of Nations Winners and losers GFX

Mane, Salah & AFCON's biggest winners and losers

There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes and a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations. However, even by the tournament's extraordinary standards, the final of the 2025 edition was like nothing we've ever seen before - albeit not in a good way. In the 93rd minute of a tense but largely uneventful encounter in Rabat, Senegal had a goal from Ismaila Sarr very harshly disallowed for a perceived foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi beforehand. Just moments later, Morocco were awarded a penalty after an invention by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), who had spotted a minor tug on Brahim Diaz's shirt by El Hadji Malick Diouf.

Senegal coach walks out of press conference after being BOOED

The Africa Cup of Nations final ended in acrimony and confusion well after the final whistle as Senegal boss Pape Thiaw stormed out of his press conference following a hostile reception from the media. On a night of high drama where his side claimed victory after initially walking off the pitch over a controversial penalty decision, Morocco manager Walid Regragui also faced the wrath of the local press, with furious journalists urging him to resign after the hosts’ 50-year wait for the trophy was extended in heartbreaking fashion.

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Frequently asked questions

: Kylian Mbappe prefers to play on the left wing in attack, although he has been used as a striker in recent years, first by Didier Deschamps for France, then by his ex-boss Luis Enrique at his former club PSG, and now by Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
: Kylian Mbappe was born in the 19th arrondissement of Paris in France.
: Kylian Mbappe completed his much-anticipated move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 and chose to wear the No.9, previously worn by his former French national teammate and Real Madrid's second highest goalscorer of all-time, Karim Benzema.
: Kylian Mbappe stands at 1.78m (5ft 11in), with his height not regarded as one of his strengths.
: Kylian Mbappe weighs 75kg (165 lbs), making him one of the fastest footballers on the planet.
: In 2004, Kylian Mbappe joined AS Bondy, a club from Bondy, Seine-Saint-Denis, located in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, where he was raised as a child. He attended trials at clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea, before eventually signing for Monaco's academy at the age of 14.
: No. Kylian Mbappe is yet to become a father.
: While Kylian Mbappe is known to keep his relationships away from the public eye, he is currently rumoured to be dating Belgian model Stephanie Rose Bertram. He is yet to get married, though.

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