AFCON 2025 Diary Day 25: Marrakech Explorations, Media Encounters And Super Eagles’ March To Rabat

Day 25 (Sunday, 11 January, 2026)

A Visit to Cristiano Ronaldo Hotel

Exploring Marrakech Beyond Matchday Duties

ONE OF THE lessons that I learned over the years in my sports journalism career is to always get to know better the places that I visit on assignment. It’s never enough to focus only on the event that brought one to town, in this case, the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. It’s equally important to get to know the host country or city to expand one’s knowledge. This lesson has been reflected in my coverage of this AFCON 2025 as my daily diary reveals.

From Algeria Triumph To A Change Of Travel Plans

It’s Sunday, January the 11th. It’s the morning after the Super Eagles “swept aside” the Fennecs of Algeria in their absorbing quarterfinal clash in Marrakech. It’s a rest day at the tournament and the Eagles have returned to their ‘nest’ in Fez. I decided not to return to Fez because now, I knew it well enough having spent three weeks there. Instead, I would head from Marrakech straight to Rabat and wait there for the semifinal clash between Nigeria and Morocco on Wednesday, January the 14th.

But, wait. I’ve really not had time to explore Marrakech itself. My team and I arrived here late on Thursday, we spent the whole day at the stadium on Friday and did the same on match day, Saturday. Today (Sunday), we decided to look around Marrakech before leaving for Rabat tomorrow (Monday).

Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 24: Super Eagles Are The Real Deal, Osimhen Shows Class, Algeria Lose Grace

Marrakech is a city of about one million people. Some legend has it that the country itself, Morocco, took it’s name from ‘Marrakesh’ which is one of its medieval cities. It is located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains from where the national football team got its nickname, the Atlas Lions. The mountain lies in the background where the Marrakech Grand Stadium is built and one could see its white top stretching far into the horizon. The medina in Marrakech, its main tourist attraction and a UNESCO Heritage site, covers a massive area of 600 hectares, much bigger than the medina in Fez.

Why Hivernage District Beat The Old Medina This Time

Since we were already familiar with how a Maghreb medina looks like from our stay in Fez (ancient Arabian architecture, interconnected narrow alleys and commercial/religious/cultural hub), my team and I decided to visit the upscale neighborhood of Marrakech instead. Top on our list, naturally, was the Hivernage district where Cristiano Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 Marrakech hotel is located.

A Chance Meeting With A Nigeria-Loving Frenchman

To our surprise, we discovered that the hotel was a walking distance from our brand new ‘Nour 7’ apartment block where we took accommodation. The figure ‘7’ is just a coincidence with ‘CR7.’ As we stepped out of the building, we ran into Yousef, a young Frenchman with Moroccan heritage who had come from Corsica, a French Island, to watch the AFCON 2025 and was also staying in Nour 7. He wanted to take a walk, too, and decided to join me and my team.

“I came to AFCON to support Nigeria and Senegal,” Yousef said. “I’ve been quite impressed with the Nigerian team and I hope they will win the trophy.” We thanked him for his support.

You would think that Yousef would support current European champions Paris Saint Germain, but no. “My club is Barcelona,” he said. “If I have to choose a club in France, maybe I will pick Olympic Marseille.”

Inside The Aura Of Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 Marrakech

Presently, our walk took us to the upscale neighborhood of Hivernage. Compared to the hustle and bustle and the traffic congestion in downtown Marrakech, the streets here are quiet with few vehicular movements. Google map guided us to Ronaldo’s Pestana CR7 hotel. Embossed on the front of the building are five golden balls, depicting the player’s five Ballons d’Or as the world’s best footballer. A Portuguese flag fluttered gently alongside two others on the right side of the frontage as a sign of Ronaldo’s proud identification with his country.

Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 23: Super Eagles’ Battle Cry, Press Room Confidence & Marrakech On Edge Ahead Of Algeria Clash

As we admired the hotel and took pictures, two gentlemen from Cameroun turned up and greeted us. When they learned that we were Nigerians, they wished us “Bon Chance” (Good luck) and expressed the hope that we would not suffer the same “refereeing fate” as they did against Morocco. We said thank you.

While at Pestana CR7, we again Googled what it would cost to spend a night there. Prices range from $150 US Dollars per night. Very reasonable for a 5-Star hotel with such an iconic name as the owner.

From CR7 To Super Eagles’ Temporary Home

From, Pestana CR7, we took another long walk to Savoy Le Grand Hotel on Prince Moulay Rachid Avenue where the Super Eagles had stayed when they came to town. The place was quiet now that the team had returned to Fez, so we didn’t bother to enter. We then took another long walk on the Mohammed VI Avenue back to our apartment at Nour 7. A common sight on the busy boulevard were horse-drawn medieval carriages with European passengers having the time of their lives in the sun. Marrakech is indeed a haven for tourists.

Moroccan Mind Games Ahead Of Rabat Showdown

Throughout our walk, most Moroccans that we encountered on the way would raise two or three fingers to indicate how many goals their team would score against Nigeria in the semifinal on Wednesday. After we had “helped them” to beat Algeria, it seems their love affair with us is over. The Super Eagles will have something to say about that in Rabat on Wednesday.

Naija No Dey Carry Last!

MORE Nigerian journalists have been pouring into Morocco as the AFCON entered the knockout phase.

When my good friend and colleague, Deji Omotoyinbo of Sport Africa informed me over the telephone that he was arriving on time for the quarterfinal game against Algeria, I warned him to visit his pastor for a proper cleansing before coming so he wouldn’t jinx the Super Eagles with his presence. If Nigeria had lost, I was going to expose Deji in my diary as the guy who brought us bad luck from Lagos! At the final whistle, it was a relieved Deji that sought me out and we had a celebration dance filled with laughter. He had come in with Rotimi Akindele of Lagos Talks radio station.

Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 22: Super Eagles Touch Down In Marrakech, Bonus Drama Laid To Rest, Algeria Showdown Beckons

Also in town is Kunle Solaja of SportsVillageSquare.com who actually arrived for the Round of 16 game against Mozambique in Fez. Kunle and I were roommates in Sao Paolo, Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, we can’t relieve that experience this summer because the Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

I ran into Shina Okeleji of the BBC at the Marrakech central train station as he prepared to leave for Rabat. Shina broke the news of the bonus row in the Eagles camp before the Algeria game, so I called him “news breaker.”

Just before he arrived, I had also met Mimi Fawaz, a popular social media influencer at the station. She, too, was heading to Rabat. In a flash, she handed over her mobile phone to James Agberebi nearby to record a video of our meeting. That’s content for her social media followers, James said to me later. Whao!

Talking of social media and journalists, it was a big surprise for me that Michal Zichlarz from Poland was able to recognize me at the Marrakech Stadium before the Algeria-Nigeria game on Saturday. As we approached the media center, Michal came over and said to me: “Hey, Mr. Alao, I know you. I remember you. I used to come to your office in Lagos. I used to report for your newspaper, Sports Souvenir. Do you remember me?”

I didn’t remember him and I said so. He continued: “You should remember me. Your staff, Vincent Alumona, brought me to you in 2005. That was 20 years ago.” The mention of Vincent’s name jogged my memory. Now I remembered Michal. He used to send us stories about Nigerian players in Poland.

Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 21: Super Eagles Strike Scare, Farewell To Fez And Morocco’s Algeria Obsession

“I have been following your AFCON diary on Facebook,” he continued. “It’s very interesting. I’m so glad to see you again.” While all this was happening, some of the young Nigerian reporters that were present were recording my encounter with Michal with their camera phones, just like Mimi Fawaz did later at the train station. It’s content, I was told again. Whao! Watch out for me then after the AFCON, social media. I’m learning fast.

Super Eagles Head To Rabat

MEANWHILE, the Super Eagles will also arrive in Rabat on Monday, January the 12th, the same day as me and my team. A message from the Eagles’ media officer, Promise Efoghe, revealed that they will depart Fez at midday and arrive at Rihab Hotel in Rabat at 3.00pm local time. A training session is scheduled for 6.00pm at the Complexe Mohammed VI, but it will be closed to the media.

Team captain Wilfred Ndidi is suspended from the semifinal against Morocco following a second yellow card that he received against Algeria. He suffered a hamstring injury in the game which might have ruled him out, anyway.

Mr.ChefNigeria in Trouble!

NOW, I left this for last today because I didn’t know how to escape it. Following my refusal to predict the likely outcomes of the semifinals in my diary yesterday, I have received messages from a number of readers holding me by the neck that I must make a prediction “by fire, by force” as we say in Nigeria.

My good friend, Bayo Olowoake, fired the first salvo. He wrote: “Doc, you can’t escape. You MUST make a prediction for these semis o!”

That was followed by another friend and colleague, Tunde Sulaiman, who I didn’t even realize had been following my diary. He wrote: “I’ve been reading your Mr.Chef masterpieces and decided not to let you off the hook. So, leave the fence and stick out your neck to predict the AFCON semifinal winners.” There were several other similar messages. With ‘friends’ such as these wanting my neck on the block, surely, I don’t need enemies.

Also Read: AFCON 2025 Diary Day 20: Nigeria Vs Algeria Rivalry Reignited, Osimhen-Lookman Truce, Moroccan Backing & Quarterfinal Predictions

Anyway, I have decided to accept the challenge and stick my neck out. But if you bet on these predictions and lose your money, don’t hold me responsible. Already, I wrote an analysis of the semifinals in yesterday’s diary, so I will only add the missing predictions today. Yours truly, Mr.ChefNigeria envoy hereby tips Egypt and Nigeria for the final match of AFCON 2025….in sha Allah!

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By Mumini Alao, in Marrakech

Photos by Ganiyu Yusuf and Segun Ogunfeyitimi