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BREAKING: MOROCCO CLIMB TO 8TH IN FIFA RANKINGS DESPITE AFCON FINAL DEFEAT

Morocco achieves its highest FIFA ranking of 8th place. Discover how the AFCON results reshaped the world’s top football teams.

Breaking: Morocco climb to 8th in FIFA rankings despite AFCON final defeat
Morocco cracks the global Top 10 after a wild AFCON final

Morocco just hit their highest-ever FIFA men’s world ranking, landing in eighth place. That’s even after their tough loss to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Senegal, by the way, climbed to 12th on Monday.

In Sunday’s final in Rabat, Morocco fell 1-0 to Senegal after extra time. The match could’ve ended differently—Morocco had a penalty right at the end of regular time. The whole stadium held its breath, but Brahim Diaz missed the kick. He’d been left waiting for about 14 minutes because the Senegal players walked off the pitch to protest the penalty call.

Still, Morocco’s ranking jumped three spots in January. Their previous best was 10th, way back in April 1998, after that big World Cup run in 2022. For some context, the highest an African team has ever reached is fifth—Nigeria pulled that off in April 1994. Among Arab nations, Egypt holds the top spot, with ninth in July 2010.

Senegal, fresh off their second title in three tournaments, shot up seven places to reach their own record high. Their best before this was the 17th, earlier in 2024.

AFCON really shook up the rankings for African teams. Nigeria, which took bronze, gained the most points—79.09—and jumped 12 places to 26th. Cameroon matched that leap, moving up to 45th, so they’re the biggest movers this time.

Egypt, after making the semi-finals, climbed four spots to 31st, just behind Algeria. On the other hand, Gabon suffered the biggest drop in points, losing nearly 45 points and sliding to 86th after exiting in the group stage. Equatorial Guinea took the hardest hit in places, falling 10 spots to 107th.

At the very top, no surprises: Spain is still number one, with World Cup champs Argentina in second. France, England, Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands round out the top seven—no changes there.

MARSEILLE MELTDOWN: WHY MEDHI BENATIA QUIT AFTER A BITTER MASON GREENWOOD FALLOUT

Marseille meltdown: Medhi Benatia resigns as Sporting Director after clashes with Mason Greenwood. Get the latest on De Zerbi’s exit.

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Medhi Benatia Resigns From Marseille

Marseille’s sporting director, Medhi Benatia, has quit his job after reports of friction with Mason Greenwood, the former Manchester United striker.

It’s a tough time for the club. Benatia’s exit comes with pressure piling up; Marseille’s going through a rough patch that also saw Roberto De Zerbi walk out. De Zerbi left after that brutal 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. The team are sitting in fourth, and they just missed out on the next round of the Champions League in dramatic fashion.

Benatia, who used to play for Morocco and had a solid career with Bayern Munich, Roma, and Juventus, confirmed he’s stepping down. In his statement, he didn’t hold back: “Since I got here, I’ve poured my heart into this job with one goal: getting Marseille back where it belongs. I know this club inside out. I understand what it asks of you and the passion behind it.”

He tried to keep things positive: “We’re still in the fight. Making the Champions League is within reach, and we’re still gunning for the Coupe de France. Even with the setbacks and bad luck, the project’s still moving forward on the pitch. But I can’t ignore what’s happening around us.”

Benatia pointed to growing frustration and a communication breakdown: “In Marseille, results speak for themselves. You know I don’t sugarcoat things. With all the tension in management, I’ve handed in my resignation because, to me, the club always comes first. I don’t want to be an obstacle or a burden.”

He finished with a note of regret: “I did everything I could, but I couldn’t calm things down around the team even though I really believe they can hit their targets.”

Apparently, Benatia and Greenwood just didn’t get along. Greenwood’s been crucial for Marseille since joining in 2024, and while De Zerbi backed him publicly, things between Benatia and Greenwood reportedly got icy. L’Equipe claimed the two barely spoke, and Benatia didn’t hide his criticism on or off the field.

Some say Benatia got fed up with Greenwood ignoring commercial duties last summer and not caring about the fallout. Now De Zerbi’s on the market, a familiar name for clubs like Manchester United and Tottenham, both hunting for new managers.

De Zerbi’s already been linked to United before. After his stint at Brighton, he was apparently considered for the Old Trafford job before they stuck with Erik ten Hag.

ARRESTS AT THE MKM: WHY POLICE INTERVENED DURING HULL CITY’S FA CUP DEFEAT

Police made arrests at the MKM Stadium as Chelsea beat Hull 4-0. Read the full report on Pedro Neto's hat-trick and the fan fallout.

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Hull City And Police Crushed Discriminatory Chanting During Cup Clash

Hull City say police made arrests after fans started up discriminatory chants during their 4-0 FA Cup loss to Chelsea on Friday night. Early in the game, the stadium’s PA system cut in with a warning: stop the chanting, or face arrest. Stewards and police didn’t mess around in the second half; the club announced they’d actually detained some supporters.

The chant targeted Chelsea and was homophobic. It’s not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Back in 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service made it clear that a certain lyric in the chant is a homophobic slur, and using it can land you in legal trouble. Just ask Paul Boardman, a Liverpool fan who got slapped with a Wembley ban and a £500 fine for shouting it at a train station.

Meanwhile, the game itself got away from Hull. Chelsea rolled over them, with Pedro Neto bagging a hat-trick. Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic still found a few positives, though. He liked the team’s defensive setup and thought they could’ve used their counterattacks better. “We deserved at least one goal,” he said, “but if we play like this, we’ll be in a good spot in the Championship.” He’s already thinking ahead to the next match against QPR.

On the other side, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was back at the MKM Stadium, his old stomping ground. He was buzzing about his team’s attitude and effort, especially in the first half. “Hull are flying in the Championship, and I hope they make the Premier League,” he said. “But our mentality and quality tonight made the difference.” He singled out Pedro Neto for his work rate and finishing, but really, he seemed proud of the whole squad. “Everyone put in a shift. The mentality was spot on.”

The night was extra special for Rosenior. He had more than 20 family members in the stands and got warm applause from both sets of fans. “This club means a lot to my family and me,” he said. “I really appreciate the welcome. It was a good night all around.”

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