It came as no real surprise to see Morocco take home the 2025 Arab Cup on Dec. 18 after beating out Jordan in a tense final— that spilled into extra time— closing a 3–2 victory out in Doha, where this year’s edition of the biannual tournament was held.
The fixture burst into life early, with Morocco’s Oussama Tannane delivering what will likely be remembered as the goal of the tournament with an audacious lob struck from inside his own half at the fourth minute. For a moment, it felt like that might be it; a sentiment that was only strengthened when another Moroccan effort was just about kept out, cleared off by their opponent’s goal-line by Issam Smeeri. But Jordan was far from finished. Just after the restart, Ali Olwan headed a much-needed equalizer in, reviving belief when it seemed gone.
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What followed was an increasingly open exchange, both sides pushing with intent, until a contentious handball decision tilted the balance in favor of the Hashemite Kingdom. Awarded a penalty, Olwan stepped up once more and transformed the opportunity, putting Jordan ahead and briefly changing the mood of the night.
All odds were in favor of Jordan, until the 86th minute, when veteran Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah intervened with a scrappy equalizer that reopened the game. The Moroccan side were inches away from heartbreak moments later, only for their goalkeeper to deny Ali Olwan a Patrick in a crucial one-on-one.
Extra time followed, and once again it was Hamdallah who delivered. A second close-range finish — unglamorous but clinical — nudged Morocco ahead in the 100th minute, making it 3–2. Both sides continued to push, chances arriving at both ends, but the scoreline remained intact, crowning Morocco the 2025 Arab Cup champions mere minutes later.
This victory marks Morocco’s second Arab Cup title, following their first triumph in 2012. With two wins across the last three editions, the trophy has now remained in North Africa for three consecutive tournaments. Morocco are tied with Saudi Arabia as the competition’s second-most successful nation, trailing only behind Iraq, who remain in front with four medals.
Across categories and competitions, Morocco’s national teams— across age groups and divisions— delivered a sweeping run of success that saw them become U-17 AFCON champions, CHAN winners, U-20 FIFA World Cup winners, Arab Cup champions, Women’s AFCON finalists, and more. With AFCON 2025 about to get underway on home soil, the question feels inevitable: are the Atlas Lions poised to add yet another piece of silverware to an already overflowing trophy cabinet, this time, in front of their own fans?
