A Moroccan football club has terminated the contract of Senegalese midfielder Issa Ndiaye following a social media backlash over the controversial stripping of Senegal’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.
USM Oujda, who compete in Morocco’s second division, moved swiftly to part ways with the player after he reportedly mocked a landmark ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The decision marks a dramatic escalation in the fallout from last Tuesday’s “bombshell” verdict, which saw Senegal lose their continental crown in the courtroom rather than on the pitch.
The controversy traces back to the AFCON 2025 final, where a late penalty awarded to Morocco triggered a 17-minute pitch protest by the Senegalese squad.
Although the “Teranga Lions” eventually returned to the field and secured a narrow victory, CAF’s Appeal Board has now overturned the result.
Invoking Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, CAF ruled that Senegal’s refusal to play constituted a forfeit. Consequently, Morocco has been awarded a 3-0 victory and the championship trophy.
While USM Oujda has not released an official statement detailing the grounds for Ndiaye’s dismissal, sources close to the club suggest his reaction to the CAF ruling made his position untenable.
It is understood that Ndiaye expressed his displeasure with the verdict in a manner perceived as “disrespectful” to his host nation.
In a country currently celebrating a historic—if litigious—sporting triumph, the midfielder’s comments sparked immediate outrage among the Oujda faithful.
The termination marks a stunning fall from grace for Ndiaye. Once a regular fixture in the Oujda starting line-up, the Senegalese national now finds himself a free agent under a cloud of controversy.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the mounting tensions between the two footballing powerhouses.
As the Federation Senegalaise de Football (FSF) weighs up a potential further appeal, the “ripple effects” of CAF’s decision continue to claim casualties far beyond the international stage.
For now, the Moroccan second division remains a hostile environment for any public dissent regarding the 2025 title, leaving Ndiaye to search for a new club while the African football community remains deeply divided.
