AFCON 2023: Walid Regragui - Morocco's head coach denies being racist to Mbemba, narrates what ensued

Walid Regragui and Chancel Mbemba|X

AFCON 2023: Walid Regragui - Morocco's head coach denies being racist to Mbemba, narrates what ensued

Allan Damba • 10:16 - 22.01.2024

In the aftermath, Regragui was accused of being racist to the Olympique Marseille defender, claims he has since denied.

Morocco's head coach, Walid Regragui, was involved in a heated verbal and physical altercation with Democratic Republic of Congo star Chancel Mbemba in their 1-1 draw on Sunday.

The pair was joined by members of the respective teams, with the exchange brewing further into the tunnel.

Walid Regragui and Chancel Mbemba|X

It all started as Regragui approached Mbemba for pleasantries before the former held the latter's hand so tight as though he didn't want to let go.

In the aftermath, Regragui was accused of being racist to the Olympique Marseille defender, claims he has since denied.

"I said to Desabre: 'Bring him back to me, he's losing his temper, he's talking nonsense. I didn't like it because he insinuates a lot of things," he was quoted as saying by Mouha Soussi.

"So if he has images other than those that we see on television, let him take them out with pleasure. And he will see exactly what happened. And this is what happened."

"Before I went to shake his hand, he attacked me and my assistant on the sidelines before the end of the match; he spoke badly to us. And Desabre knows it."

"And in the end, despite that, I'm going to shake his hand to also tell him: "But why are you talking to me like that?" And then he looks away, like, "I'm not shaking your hand."

"I held his hand, you can see it in the images, and he started screaming in every direction. I told him: "You tell yourself!" And he said to me: "You called me an idiot!"

"It's okay that he heard that, even though I never said it, but by speaking the way he did, he's implying that my comments are racist, it's dishonest. As he only talks about religion in his speech, he should be a little honest with himself," Regragui summed.

Meanwhile, the result left Morocco top of Group F with four points, while DR Congo follows with two points. Zambia and Tanzania then follow with two points and one, respectively.