The fall of Andalusia in 1492 was a natural consequence of internal disintegration, conflicts between brothers, and misguided alliances that squandered both strength and identity.

This harsh historical lesson resurfaced as we witnessed the events of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where some manifestations of sports fanaticism crossed the line, transforming into discord that threatened deep-rooted historical ties between neighboring and brotherly nations.

The Egyptian national team's loss to Senegal was painful, but it was orchestrated and remains within the bounds of sportsmanship; winning and losing are inherent parts of football.

However, what is unacceptable are the insults directed at the Egyptian national anthem and flag, and the unprecedented displays of fanaticism that marred the tournament, scenes unseen in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations since its inception in 1957 by Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. It became clear that the problem wasn't merely technical, but also administrative and organizational, whether in the arrangements for the teams' accommodation, the management of matches and African refereeing, or the charged atmosphere among the fans, which lacked neutrality and sportsmanship. This negatively impacted the tournament's image and raised legitimate questions about the standards of fairness within continental competitions.

The relationship between Egypt and Morocco is far greater and deeper than a football match or a fleeting tournament. It is a relationship that spans centuries of human, cultural, and political interaction. Egypt embraced the symbols of the Moroccan struggle, most notably Prince Abdelkrim El Khattabi, from whose Cairo the Moroccan liberation movement was launched in 1948, culminating in independence in 1956. Hundreds of Moroccan families also settled in Egypt, and the two cultures blended in Al-Azhar, the old quarters, popular Sufism, and through kinship and marriage. The history of dozens of Moroccan families in Egypt, such as Barada, Al-Alami, Al-Wazzani, Al-Halou, Al-Jawhari, and others.

Likewise, there was Sheikh Hassan Al-Attar of Al-Azhar, Bab Zuweila, Darb Al-Barabra, and Kasbah Radwan.

And the Moroccan/Turkish baths.
And perhaps the popular Zar dance.
Hence, the step of de-escalation through the phone call between the Egyptian Minister of Sports, Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, and his Moroccan counterpart, Saad Barrada, was a positive one, reflecting an official awareness of the danger of allowing this crisis to escalate, especially with upcoming continental sporting events that require an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation.

But de-escalation alone is not enough. What is needed is a comprehensive review of what happened in the tournament, accountability for any administrative or organizational shortcomings, and a strengthening of the role of the Confederation of African Football in imposing clear standards of discipline and fairness, because the absence of fairness is the widest gateway to the spread of fanaticism, transforming sports from a space for rapprochement into an arena of conflict.

History has taught us that Andalusia fell when its emirates quarreled, some allied with the enemy against their brothers, and when wisdom was absent and arrogance prevailed. What we witnessed, even within a sporting context, serves as a clear warning against repeating past mistakes with new tools.

Sports exist to bring people together, not divide them. Egypt has always been and will remain a champion of reason and balance, believing that public awareness is the first line of defense against discord, whatever its form or arena. The true defeat lies not in exiting a tournament, but in the loss of values ​​and the erosion of trust between brothers.

Egypt and Morocco share a common history, a common blood, and a future that cannot bear further division. How desperately we need today to revive the spirit of sports before another tragedy unfolds off the field. The Pharaohs' curse, then, may have struck the Atlas Lions.

And divine justice was served in Rabat.
That's why I expect Fouzi Lekjaa to apologize to the Egyptian people or resign after his failure to manage the tournament fairly, a tournament that shattered a dream Moroccans had awaited for 50 years.
We lost to Senegal due to an administrative error and our failure to object to the national team's hotel (unlike Senegal did before the final match against Morocco), in the heart of Tangier, and a lack of focus, similar to the "ideal" Agadir camp. This was compounded by poor African refereeing and the overwhelming public support for Egypt's opponents. The goal of sports is to bring people together, but what happened is a deep wound that will not heal except by rebuilding bridges of trust and respect between us and cooperating on genuine, sincere, and firm foundations. Supporting our national team is more important than the Ultras fan groups of clubs (Al-Ahly and Zamalek), who are strongly present at their team's matches inside and outside Egypt, while the Egyptian national team's matches are sparsely attended. We must learn from African countries like Mali, Senegal, and others who support their national teams. With drums, horns, flags, and all the cheering tools to support their countries in continental championships and the Olympics, North African Arabs and Moroccans are different in nature from the Levantines. They are impulsive and quick to anger, and their behavior is very different from the Egyptians, who are patient, easygoing, and have a lighthearted nature. Arabism, unfortunately, died since the Libya match in 1978, then Tunisia and Algeria in 1990/2010, the World Cup qualifiers, and now in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in 2025. Half a century of loss, fragmentation, and Arab disunity. A stark contradiction from some Moroccans who disavow Arabism, even though the Alawite dynasty, which has ruled since 1666, traces its lineage to Ali ibn Idris and the family of the Prophet Muhammad (the Arab). After the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco ended, it faces an urgent task in repairing and restoring its relations with its Arab and African neighbors in preparation for hosting the next tournament in 2028, and then the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Returning hundreds of thousands of Africans to their countries of origin, instead of allowing them to remain and attempt to cross the sea to Spain and Europe, is also a major security and social problem.