Not a major tournament - Ex-Mancity star slams AFCON

Former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton has heavily criticised the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), labelling it as not a "major tournament" following a chaotic final between Senegal and hosts Morocco.

The 2025 AFCON final descended into turmoil during second-half stoppage time. With the score at 0-0, Morocco was awarded a controversial penalty for a foul on Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz, prompting the Senegalese team to walk off the pitch in protest.

The players were already incensed after having a goal of their own disallowed for a minor foul just minutes earlier.

As former Liverpool star Sadio Mané urged his teammates to return, unrest broke out in the stands, with some fans attempting to invade the pitch and clashing with security.

The match was delayed for nearly 20 minutes before Diaz's subsequent "panenka" penalty was easily saved by Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.

The game eventually went into extra time, where Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in the 109th minute, securing Senegal's second Africa Cup of Nations title.

Speaking on a podcast, Barton argued that the events highlighted persistent organisational and security flaws.

"Now we know it’s not a major tournament. Let’s not be outraged again if some northern Europeans call it a farce, after all, we had a 20-minute delay," he stated.

He added, "We were on the brink of a stadium war. There was a corrupt system in which matches were tilted in favour of the host nation. On top of that, the goalkeeper was being chased by Moroccan ball boys right on the pitch."