Senegal vs Morocco: Dawn and Dusk of a Golden Generation in Rabat

RABAT, SATURDAY – Forget for a moment the bets on which team will win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations between Senegal or Morocco. More than just the final result and the moment of lifting the champion's trophy, the duel between the two teams at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, on Monday (19/1/2026) at 02:00 WIB, represents the beginning and end of an era for the best generations of both teams.

Senegal will compete in their third Africa Cup of Nations final in the last six years. In the previous two finals, they failed to secure the championship in the 2019 edition. A perfect revenge was achieved in 2021 by defeating Egypt through a penalty shootout.

That was Senegal's first title in the Africa Cup of Nations. The team, nicknamed "Teranga Lions," ascended to the throne of African football alongside great players who have honed their skills in Europe, such as Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gueye, and Sadio Mane.

Four players, who have reached their thirties, also have the opportunity to play against Morocco. However, Koulibaly is doubtful about being able to play from the first minute due to an injury sustained in the semifinal match against Egypt. One player from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations brought by Coach Pape Thiaw is midfielder Ismaila Sarr.

Undoubtedly, the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has the potential to be a perfect farewell for these four players in their participation in Africa's biggest football tournament. They also do not guarantee that they will still represent Senegal after the 2026 World Cup. As a result, the ambition to secure a second trophy for Senegal is extremely high.

I hope to win (the final) and bring the trophy home to Dakar.

If they are able to present the African trophy, the five players will be immortalized in the history of Senegalese football. Their contributions will at least continue to be remembered when Senegal discusses their achievements in the Africa Cup.

"I hope to win (the final match) and bring the trophy home to Dakar," said Mane, who scored the only goal for Senegal to eliminate Egypt in the semifinals.

In addition to winning the Africa Cup of Nations, Mane is the Senegalese national team's all-time leading scorer with 53 goals. In the final against Morocco, Senegal will be boosted by their all-time leading scorer, Mane, and the iconic Gueye, who holds the most caps for the Lions of Teranga with 128 appearances.

Thiaw, who took over as head coach of Senegal from Aliou Cisse at the end of 2024, hopes for a significant role from his senior players. Their experience and high-level quality are crucial for Senegal's performance.

"It is not easy to find players like them. We hope to still have them in the coming years as there are other competitions that we will face," said Thiaw.

Singa Teranga advanced to the final by securing five victories and one draw in the group stage. They have not once played a match that exceeded 90 minutes, meaning they did not require extra time to secure their wins.

The collective play that does not rely on a single player has been the key to Senegal's impressive performance leading to the final. They have four players who each scored two goals. This is the highest number of goals for the Senegal team in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nevertheless, they only lag behind Nigeria in terms of goal productivity. Senegal has scored 12 goals, while Nigeria has produced 14 goals. In terms of chance creation, the Teranga Lions also rank second to Nigeria with a record of 20 chances.

In the knockout stage, Senegal is a team that adheres firmly to a playing style that controls the match. They recorded an average of 63 percent ball possession per game. This offensive style will be demonstrated by Mane and his teammates in the face of pressure from the host team.

Meanwhile, for Morocco, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is a way for them to assert the status of the new golden generation they currently possess. The depth of the Moroccan squad is truly remarkable. With players from the domestic league and the second team, they were able to become champions of the Arab Cup 2025 in Qatar last December.

Subsequently, the performance in the Africa Cup, featuring the best players, elicited admiration. The squad nicknamed "Atlas Lions" advanced to the final by defeating two former Africa Cup champions, Cameroon and Nigeria, in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.

The team coached by Walid Redgragui not only brings dignity to the host team. They aim to assert their status as the best team in Africa at present.

Morocco is the first African team to reach the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar 2022. Now, they are the highest-ranked African team according to FIFA, holding the 11th position. Certainly, this title of being the best means little without the achievement of the Africa Cup trophy.

After ending a 22-year wait to reach the final, the Atlas Lions need just one more victory to quench their thirst for the Africa Cup of Nations title, which has been ongoing since 1976. With a second Africa Cup of Nations title, Achraf Hakimi and his teammates will further deserve to be called the new golden generation of Moroccan football.

"Certainly, there are greater expectations placed upon us after reaching the semifinals of the World Cup. I am very aware that I will be criticized if we lose in the final," said Regragui.

"This is the golden generation of Moroccan football, but we have to prove that title on the pitch," he added.

In contrast to Senegal's attacking style, Morocco focused on a tightly organized defensive zone. They have only conceded once in six matches. Mali is the only team that has managed to score a goal against the host team.

One more thing that Atlas Lions aim to achieve is to uphold the dignity of the Prince Moulay Abdullah Stadium, which will become their new home starting October 2025. In eight matches at this new stadium, Morocco remains unbeaten. (AFP/AP)