Ghana Football Association (GFA) President and CAF Executive Committee member Kurt Okraku has defended the conduct and overall spectacle of the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, describing the match as a true reflection of modern football.
Speaking to GTV, Okraku congratulated Senegal on winning the title and praised Morocco for their competitiveness, while pushing back against criticism surrounding Senegal’s behavior during the final.
“Kudos to Senegal for being champions. Kudos to Morocco for being very competitive,” he said. “People have read a lot of negativity into the behavior of Senegal. I tend to see it the other way.”
Okraku acknowledged that Senegal may have gone “a bit overboard” during the heated encounter but insisted their actions demonstrated determination and a strong desire to win.
“They showed that they had the desire. They showed that they wanted victory at all costs and they showed that they wanted to compete, regardless of the odds they may think confronted them,” he stated.
According to the CAF executive member, the final embodied all the elements expected of top-level football, from competition and entertainment to commercial success.
“For me, that is football. What we saw in Morocco had all the ingredients you want in association football — show business, entertainment, conventional football, and even commercialization in terms of patronage,” Okraku explained.
He further expressed satisfaction with the direction of African football under CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, describing recent developments as positive for the growth of the game on the continent.
“I’m very happy about what is happening under Dr Motsepe,” he added.
The 2025 AFCON final has continued to generate debate across Africa following several flashpoints during the match, but CAF officials have largely defended the tournament’s organization and overall success.
Moreover, both teams have been fined for their misconduct as well as players who were culprits in specific misbehavior.
