Hakimi bashed after towel incident with Mendy in chaotic AFCON 2025 final

Achraf Hakimi has come under heavy criticism following a controversial moment involving Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy during the chaotic 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.

The incident added to a night already defined by tension, officiating disputes and crowd unrest, as Senegal went on to win 1-0 after extra time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Towel incident draws criticism

Video footage circulating on social media showed the Morocco right-back picking up Mendy’s towel and throwing it towards a ball boy during a stoppage in play.

The action was widely interpreted as an attempt to remove the towel from the goalkeeper’s reach during a critical phase of the match.

The towel was meant to help Mendy clean his face and wipe his gloves in the rainy weather condition.

The moment quickly went viral, with fans questioning Hakimi’s sportsmanship. The controversy was amplified by comparisons to Morocco’s semi-final against Nigeria, where Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali’s towel was also reportedly removed in similar circumstances.

While no official sanction was taken during the match, the incident has continued to generate discussions online.

https://twitter.com/PeakSxnti/status/2013037569273999433

Chaotic final context

The towel episode occurred amid a series of flashpoints in an emotionally charged final.

Senegal had a late goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up involving Hakimi, before Morocco were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time following a VAR review.

In protest, Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch, triggering a lengthy delay. Once play resumed, Brahim Díaz attempted a panenka from the spot, but his effort was comfortably saved by Mendy.

Senegal capitalised in extra time, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal four minutes into the additional period to secure the Teranga Lions’ second AFCON title.

Mixed fan reactions

Reaction on social media platform X was divided. One user, @PeakSxnti, wrote: “Hakimi throwing Mendy’s towel to the ball boy to hide… this is a disgrace.”

Another, @mrboboskie, added: “That’s all wrong. Why will a player throw away another player’s towel?”

However, some defended the Morocco defender. @Ayantugajoshua suggested the act may have been misinterpreted, writing: “Maybe he just cleared the place, what was Hakimi going to gain from them cleaning the ball or not.”