Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Laryea has brushed aside the storm of criticism that followed Nigeria’s painful exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting the backlash is simply part of the game.
Nigeria crashed out on Wednesday night after losing to hosts Morocco on penalties in a tense semi-final that ended goalless after 120 minutes. While the shootout settled the contest, much of the post-match conversation shifted to the officiating.
Laryea found himself at the center of heavy criticism online, with Nigerian fans and pundits accusing him of favouring the Atlas Lions during key moments of the match. One decision that drew particular anger was the yellow card shown to defender Calvin Bassey, a booking that ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.
Super Eagles players Akor Adams and Bright Osayi-Samuel also voiced their frustration publicly, adding to the growing debate around the referee’s performance.
But speaking on Sporty TV, Laryea appeared unfazed by the reaction.
“No, it’s okay,” he said. “It’s football.”
His brief response is unlikely to cool emotions in Nigeria, where the semi-final defeat has been widely seen as a missed opportunity, and where refereeing decisions continue to dominate discussions around the team’s AFCON 2025 journey.
