Key quotes from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

Here are some notable statements from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which wrapped up on Sunday when Senegal triumphed over hosts Morocco by 1-0 following extra time in the Rabat final:

"The AFCON is the most difficult competition in the world to win. We have won it again."

- Senegal star Sadio Mane after their thrilling final victory.

"I think he made his decision in the heat of the moment. The country does not agree, and I as national team coach do not agree at all."

- Thiaw urges 33-year-old Mane to rethink his choice to skip future AFCON appearances.

"What happened was unacceptable. Getting off the train and facing a crowd. The players were in danger."

- Senegal coach Pape Thiaw condemns the supposed security shortcomings upon arrival in Rabat from Tangiers ahead of the final.

"We suffocated them."

- Senegal defender Moussa Niakhite describes their semi-final win against Egypt.

"Good stadiums, good playing fields, good climate."

- Morocco coach Walid Regragui praises the 2025 AFCON setup.

"I told him he will always be loved by Moroccans, that he can win titles and play in the World Cup."

- Regragui shares how he convinced Spain-born Brahim Diaz to represent Morocco internationally.

"I do not understand why our training ground is so far (45 minutes by coach) from the hotel."

- South Africa coach Hugo Broos.

"There is no typical AFCON vibe. I do not feel it here."

- Broos notes the absence of the atmosphere seen at the 2024 AFCON in Ivory Coast while in Morocco.

"His arrogance is obvious and his comments are very irritating."

- Egyptian football legend Mohamed Aboutrika hits back at Broos.

"Hugo Broos is going nowhere."

- South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie dismisses demands to sack Broos following the last-16 elimination.

"We are not planning to go home anytime soon. We brought plenty of clothes."

- South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena prior to their last-16 defeat by Cameroon.

"Egypt can play with local players only. We have won AFCONs with them."

- Former AFCON champion Wael Gomaa after Egypts third-place playoff loss to Nigeria.

"Nobody wants to win this trophy more than me."

- Egypt captain Mohamed Salah following his fifth unsuccessful bid for AFCON glory.

"If you allow journalists and content creators to always come in and then we lose, people will say I am crazy."

- Nigeria coach Eric Chelle justifies limits on media access to training sessions.

"For the big African nations, facing us is like going to the dentist."

- Comoros coach Stefano Cusin.

"When we lose, it is the coach who loses. When we win, it is the players who win."

- Democratic Republic of Congo coach Sebastien Desabre.

"I wanted to change this mentality of Tanzania always being underdogs."

- Coach Miguel Gamondi after the east Africans advanced to the knockout rounds for the first time.

"Tunisian football is 10 years behind."

- Midfielder Hannibal Mejbri after Tunisias last-16 exit against Mali.

"Football is the only relief we have as Sudanese."

- Captain Bakhit Khamis on how football impacts war-torn Sudan.

"We have to free ourselves as Africans and not think whenever we take a decision it is because FIFA says this or Europe says this."

- CAF president Patrice Motsepe counters suggestions that FIFA or European clubs swayed the shift of AFCON to a four-year cycle.

"AFCON every four years is very good, there will be more hype, more desire to come and play."

- Morocco captain and 2025 African player of the year Achraf Hakimi.

"It is catastrophic."

- Mali coach Tom Saintfiet responds to AFCON moving to every four years starting in 2028.

"AFCON every four years is a distressing mistake."

- AFCON-winning French coach Claude Le Roy.