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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 semi-finals, shocking Belgium, Spain, and Portugal en route.

It was the first time an African nation had reached the last four in the quadrennial global showpiece.

What made the achievement more remarkable was that Regragui had taken charge of the Atlas Lions just three months before the World Cup kicked off after Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked.

READ ALSO: [AFCON] Nigeria Shift Attention To Third-Place Match After Morocco Heartbreak

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 favourites 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 favourites 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 Turkey.

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 favourites 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.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed on Friday that he will leave the Premier League club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Austrian led the Eagles to their first major trophy by winning the FA Cup last season.

Glasner, who also won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, has been linked with managerial jobs at Manchester United and Tottenham.

“A decision has already been taken, months ago,” Glasner told a press conference ahead of Palace’s trip to Sunderland on Saturday.

“I had a meeting with (Palace chairman) Steve (Parish) in October, during the international break.

“We had a very long talk, and I told him I will not sign a new contract.”

READ ALSO: Man City Agree Deal To Sign Guehi

The 51-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park in February 2024 and guided Palace out of the relegation places and into a 10th-place finish.

Last season, they finished 12th but produced arguably the club’s greatest moment by beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley to lift the FA Cup.

That secured European qualification for the first time in the club’s history, but they were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League due to a breach of multi-club ownership rules.

Glasner has consistently voiced his frustration this season at not having a bigger squad to work with, and they have run out of steam in recent weeks after a bright start to the campaign.

Palace are winless in their past nine games, culminating in an embarrassing FA Cup exit to sixth-tier Macclesfield last weekend.

Glasner also confirmed that club captain Marc Guehi is on the brink of a transfer to Manchester City.

However, he promised to do all he can to deliver more glory in the Conference League before he departs.

“I’m just looking for a new challenge,” said the Palace boss.

“I haven’t spoken to any other club, I told the players that and promised them today I will give my best to give the best season in Crystal Palace history, the best points tally in history.”

Manchester City have agreed a deal in principle to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi as they battle a defensive crisis, reports said on Friday.

The England defender, 25, was close to joining Liverpool on transfer deadline day in September before the move collapsed.

Other clubs reportedly interested in Guehi, including Liverpool once again and Bayern Munich, were understood to be targeting a move at the end of the season, when Guehi was due to be a free agent.

Sky Sports said the move was in the final stages.

Pep Guardiola, speaking on the eve of City’s match against Manchester United, was tight-lipped when asked about the club’s potential interest in Guehi, stressing he had “nothing to say”.

READ ALSO: Glasner To Leave Crystal Palace At End Of The Season

captained Palace to FA Cup success in May against City and has won 26 England caps.

City boss Guardiola, whose team are second in the Premier League, six points behind Arsenal, said the team were desperately short of defensive options.

“Without John (Stones), without Ruben (Dias), without Josko (Gvardiol), we are in a difficult situation for not one game but a long, long period,” he said.

“It’s a difficult situation. Ruben will be back soon. Josko, no. John, hopefully we’ll see.”

Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has returned to training 19 days after being involved in a car crash that claimed the lives of two close friends.

The 36-year-old Joshua sustained injuries in the December 29 crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which claimed the lives of his strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and trainer Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.

However, Joshua posted a Snapchat video of himself hitting pads with the caption “mental strength therapy,” signaling his gradual return to normalcy nearly three weeks after the tragedy.

He was seen working out on an exercise bike and swimming in a pool.

The clips were compiled into a short montage.

Other posts included a photo showing the elapsed time on a cardio machine, captioned, “I am a fighter,” as well as an image of Joshua being hit by Wladimir Klitschko during their iconic 2017 heavyweight title fight.

The boxer, who is of Nigerian descent, was on holiday in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul in Miami just 10 days before the fatal collision.

READ ALSO: Anthony Joshua Escaped Death After Swapping Seat — Report

At the time of the crash, Joshua’s driver, Adeniyi Kayode, 47, did not have a valid driver’s licence.

The accident left Joshua hospitalised and led to criminal charges against Kayode.

At a recent court hearing, Kayode pleaded not guilty to all charges, including dangerous driving, claiming that the vehicle’s brakes failed.

He was granted bail but taken to Sagamu Correctional Centre for documentation.

Abiodun added that Kayode had recently renewed his driver’s licence and was cleared to drive pending the release of the renewed document.

“My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident. I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet, but I know he is saying the brakes did not work,” the driver’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, told the Daily Mail.

“I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat, but the driver asked him to swap seats.

“He did this because Anthony is a big fellow, and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly, so he asked him to move, and he sat behind the driver.

Grammy award-winning musician, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, will headline the final of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Fan Zone concert in Rabat, Morocco.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Hails Rema, Burna Boy, Shallipopi After 2025 AFRIMA Wins

This was confirmed in a post via X by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

“Burna Boy, Stormzy, Stonebwoy, and Jaylann live on January 16. The #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 Fan Zone Concerts finale,” CAF said in the post.

The body also shared posters of the artistes billed to perform.

Tagged “The AFCON Last Dance”, the concert will take place on Friday, 16 January 2026, at the OLM Souissi Fan Zone in Rabat, starting at 8 p.m. local time.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations began on December 21, 2025, with music featuring in tournament events.

The opening ceremony in Rabat featured Nigerian star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, alongside French Montana and RedOne.

Their performance, titled Le Show, took place shortly before Morocco’s opening match against Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

“The Nigerian Afrobeats star has helped carry African music onto the world’s biggest stages, with a sound associated with celebration, confidence, and continental pride, qualities CAF believes mirror the spirit of the Africa Cup of Nations,” CAF said of Davido.

READ ALSO: Morocco Beat Gallant Super Eagles On Penalties To Reach AFCON Final

The finale concert comes days after Morocco eliminated Nigeria from the tournament.

One last show. One MASSIVE lineup.

Burna Boy, Stormy, Stonebwoy, and Jaylann live on January 16.
The #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 Fan Zone Concerts finale. pic.twitter.com/hcY3f119NK

Nigeria will play Egypt in the third-place match on Saturday, January 17, at the Mohammed V Stadium, starting at 11 a.m. ET.

On Wednesday night, the hosts beat the Super Eagles 4–2 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in their semi-final in Rabat.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali saved one penalty, but misses from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi proved decisive.

Youssef En-Nesyri scored the winning kick.

Morocco will face Senegal in the final on Sunday, January 18, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with kick-off at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Morocco are seeking their first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1976.

Nigerian artists have become the toast of organisers of major international events.

Other Nigerian artistes who have performed at major events include Wizkid, Rema, Tiwa Savage, CKay, and Patoranking.

Ayodeji Balogun, known as Wizkid, made history on July 29, 2023, when he became the first African artiste to perform at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, playing to about 45,000 fans.

Earlier that same year, in June 2023, he also became the first African musician to headline the Glastonbury Festival, one of the United Kingdom’s biggest music events.

Tiwa Savage has also performed on some of the world’s most prominent platforms.

She was the only Nigerian artiste invited to perform at the coronation concert of King Charles III in 2023.

Sharing photos from the event on Instagram, she wrote, “Too many to choose from. This is one I’ll never forget.”

Mikel Arteta said Friday that Arsenal’s impressive consistency should make them “very convinced” they can achieve something special this season.