The Japan Times - Who said what at 2025 Africa Cup of Nations

"The AFCON is the most difficult competition in the world to win. We have won it again."

-- Senegal star Sadio Mane after their dramatic final triumph.

"I think he made his decision in the heat of the moment. The country does not agree, and I as national team coach do not agree at all."

-- Thiaw wants 33-year-old Mane to reconsider his decision not to play at AFCON again.

"What happened was unacceptable. Getting off the train and facing a crowd. The players were in danger."

-- Senegal coach Pape Thiaw criticises the alleged lack of security when Senegal arrived in Rabat from Tangiers for the final.

"We suffocated them."

-- Senegal defender Moussa Niakhite sums up their semi-final victory over Egypt.

"Good stadiums, good playing fields, good climate."

-- Morocco coach Walid Regragui hails the 2025 AFCON.

"I told him he will always be loved by Moroccans, that he can win titles and play in the World Cup."

-- Regragui recalls how he persuaded Spain-born Brahim Diaz to switch international allegiance.

"I do not understand why our training ground is so far (45 minutes by coach) from the hotel."

-- South Africa coach Hugo Broos.

"There is no typical AFCON vibe. I do not feel it here."

-- Broos claims the the atmosphere of the 20024 AFCON in Ivory Coast is missing in Morocco.

"His arrogance is obvious and his comments are very irritating."

-- Egyptian football icon Mohamed Aboutrika responds to Broos.

"Hugo Broos is going nowhere."

-- South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie rejects calls for Broos to be fired after his team's last-16 exit.

"We are not planning to go home anytime soon -- we brought plenty of clothes."

-- South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena before a last-16 loss to Cameroon.

"Egypt can play with local players only. We have won AFCONs with them."

-- Former AFCON winner Wael Gomaa after Egypt lost the third place play-off to Nigeria.

"Nobody wants to win this trophy more than me."

-- Egypt captain Mohamed Salah after the fifth failed attempt by him to win AFCON.

"If you allow journalists and content creators to always come in and then we lose, people will say I am crazy."

-- Nigeria coach Eric Chelle explains restrictions on media attending training sessions.

"For the big African nations, facing us is like going to the dentist."

-- Comoros coach Stefano Cusin.

"When we lose, it is the coach who loses. When we win, it is the players who win."

-- Democratic Republic of Congo coach Sebastien Desabre.

"I wanted to change this mentality of Tanzania always being underdogs."

-- Coach Miguel Gamondi after the east Africans reached the knockout stage for first time.

"Tunisian football is 10 years behind."

-- Midfielder Hannibal Mejbri following Tunisia's last-16 loss to Mali.

"Football is the only relief we have as Sudanese."

-- Captain Bakhit Khamis describes the effect of football on war-ravaged Sudan.

"We have to free ourselves as Africans and not think whenever we take a decision it is because FIFA says this or Europe says this."

-- CAF president Patrice Motspe rejects claims that FIFA or European clubs influenced changing AFCON from a two-yearly to four-yearly competition.

"AFCON every four years is very good, there will be more hype, more desire to come and play."

-- Morocco captain and 2025 African player of the year Achraf Hakimi.

"It is catastrophic."

-- Mali coach Tom Saintfiet reacts to AFCON being staged every four years from 2028.

"AFCON every four years is a distressing mistake."

-- AFCON-winning French coach Claude Le Roy.

Y.Hara--JT