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As Morocco national football team prepare to face Senegal national football team in the AFCON 2025 final on Sunday evening at 8:00 PM, Walid Regragui will once again receive a familiar message of support. As he has done throughout the tournament, Rudi Garcia is expected to send words of encouragement before kick-off—and, he hopes, a message of congratulations after the final whistle.
Beyond the stakes of the match, the occasion highlights a long-standing personal bond. Garcia, now 61, and Walid Regragui, aged 50, share a friendship that dates back more than three decades. Their story began in Corbeil-Essonnes, in the Paris region, in 1994, long before either would reach the highest levels of international football.
Over the years, their paths have diverged professionally but remained closely connected. Garcia built a distinguished coaching career across Europe, while Regragui emerged as one of Africa’s most respected managers, leading Morocco to historic achievements on the global and continental stages.
Now, with Morocco chasing a first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1976, that friendship takes on renewed meaning. For Garcia, the final represents more than a football match, it is a moment where personal history and African football history may intersect, with Regragui standing on the brink of a landmark achievement.
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