Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwobale, took advantage of Morocco’s 1-0 loss to Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final to gloat over the Atlas Lions’ struggles against the host nation in the semi-final.
Ball boys deliberately hid Nwobale’s towel, believing it contained magic, in a story that became one of the most talked-about incidents of the 2025 AFCON.
The Nigerian goalkeeper expressed his anger at the Moroccans’ actions, deeming them bizarre, especially since a similar incident had occurred with Senegal’s Edouard Mendy in the final. However, this time, neither the ball boys nor the Moroccan players could retrieve his towel after he gave it to a teammate on the sidelines.
After the match, Nwobale gloated over the incident, writing on his Instagram account, “Use my towel to wipe your tears.”
The Nigerian goalkeeper had led his country to third place in the CAN after beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties following a goalless draw in regular time, with Noubale saving penalties from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
