In a stunning development from the controversial Africa Cup of Nations final, Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye has declared his willingness to surrender his championship medals to Morocco in an effort to diffuse diplomatic tensions between the two nations. The emotional statement came following Gueye’s Premier League match with Everton on Saturday, where he addressed the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) unprecedented decision to strip Senegal of their title.
The continental football governing body recently overturned Senegal’s 1-0 extra-time victory against Morocco in the January final, instead awarding the hosts a 3-0 win and championship title. This drastic measure came as punishment for Senegal’s 15-minute walk-off protest during the match when Morocco received a controversial penalty in second-half stoppage time.
‘If it were up to me, I would personally commit to collecting the medals and maybe giving them back to Morocco if that can ease tensions between the two countries,’ Gueye stated in an interview with Canal+. The midfielder, who captained Senegal in the absence of suspended Kalidou Koulibaly, emphasized that ‘football matches are won on the pitch, not in offices.’
The January 18 final in Rabat descended into chaos when Senegalese players exited the field in protest after the penalty award. The match resumed after fifteen minutes of confusion that included Senegal supporters throwing objects and attempting to invade the pitch. Morocco’s Brahim Diaz subsequently missed the controversial penalty, leading to Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner for Senegal.
Despite his offer to return the medals, Gueye maintained that Senegal deserved their championship victory. ‘We did what we had to do on the pitch, we won that match. We deserve to be African champions,’ he asserted. The Everton star also expressed disagreement with the Senegalese football federation’s decision to appeal CAF’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, stating he would have advised against the legal challenge.