Hakimi Regrets Towel Incident with Nwabali at AFCON 2025

During the AFCON 2025 semi-final clash between Nigeria and Morocco, an incident occurred involving Stanlei Nwabali's towel, which was taken multiple times by pitch-side staff. Achraf Hakimi, a player for Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain, addressed the situation, stating he did not feel proud of the incident and emphasized the need for respect among competitors.

This incident took place amid a tense atmosphere during the tournament. Following the tournament, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced Morocco as the AFCON 2025 champions, which led to Senegal filing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the title.

Hakimi expressed hope that the decision regarding the title would serve the interests of African football and that the title would not be unjustly taken away from the pitch.