RABAT: Rival 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final coaches in Rabat on Sunday, Walid Regragui of Morocco and Pape Thiaw of Senegal have both experienced the heartbreak of losing a title decider as players.
Striker Thiaw was part of the Senegal squad that lost the 2002 AFCON final on penalties after a 0-0 draw with defending champions Cameroon.
Full-back Regragui played in the following final, two years later, which Morocco lost 2-1 to hosts Tunisia.
Senegal have played in two subsequent AFCON title deciders, losing to Algeria in 2019 and defeating Egypt on penalties three years later.
But before the 2025 AFCON, Morocco never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in eight attempts since finishing runners-up in Tunisia.
Regragui created history in 2022 when he coached Morocco to the World Cup semifinals, shocking Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route.
It was the first time an African or Arab nation had reached the last four in the quadrennial global showpiece.
What made the achievement more remarkable was Regragui had taken charge of the Atlas Lions just three months before the World Cup kicked off after Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked.
Morocco mocked form and tradition by topping a group including Croatia and Belgium, then eliminated Spain on penalties and Portugal before falling to France.
Based on their performances in Qatar, Morocco were overwhelming favorites to win the 2024 AFCON in the Ivory Coast.
But after cruising to the round of 16, they came unstuck against South Africa. A brilliant Teboho Mokoena goal direct from a free-kick sealed a 2-0 victory for the underdogs.
Having qualified comfortably for the 2026 World Cup, Morocco are now one victory away from ending a 50-year wait for a second AFCON title after winning the 1976 tournament in Ethiopia.
“We are considered firm favorites to win this AFCON. I read that we will win the tournament comfortably. That if we do not win our campaign will be judged a failure,” Regragui told reporters.
- ‘Lacked humility’ -
“My task, and the job of my staff and the senior players, is to keep our feet on the ground and remember why Morocco has not won the AFCON for 50 years.
“We have not won the AFCON because we lacked humility in many of the tournaments and we must not fall into that trap again.
“Morocco have progressed since that loss to South Africa. The squad has been rejuvenated. We have introduced young players while retaining the experienced core of the team.
“We came into this tournament with confidence, but nothing is guaranteed,” said the 50-year-old born in a southern suburb of Paris.
Regragui was capped 44 times by Morocco during a 14-year playing career, spent mainly in France. He had two seasons with Racing Santander in Spain and one with Moghreb Tetouan in Morocco.
Before taking charge of the Atlas Lions, his major coaching achievement was leading Wydad Casablanca to victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the 2022 CAF Champions League final.
After the disappointment of losing the 2002 AFCON final, Thiaw went to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan later that year.
Senegal stunned defending champions France 1-0 in the opening match and exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals, where they fell to Turkiye.
Dakar-born Thiaw scored five goals in 16 national team appearances and played for clubs in France, Switzerland, Russia and Spain before retiring in 2009.
After three seasons coaching Niarry Tally, a club bankrolled by a biscuit company, he was put in charge of the Senegal team preparing for the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition restricted to home-based footballers.
Thiaw unexpectedly led his country to glory, defeating hosts and favorites Algeria on penalties in the final after a goalless draw.
Now 44, he succeeded Aliou Cisse as coach of the senior national team in December 2024 and has lost just once — to Brazil in a London friendly match.