Gradel celebrated Ivory Coast's victory with a Morocco flag. And that's why

An intriguing episode unfolded yesterday during the award ceremony for the Ivory Coast national team following their victory in the final of the 2023 African Cup of Nations.

The 36-year-old legendary midfielder of the "Elephants," Max Gradel, received his award holding the flag of Morocco. Initially, many were surprised by this decision, but later everything fell into place.

Through this gesture, Gradel expressed gratitude to the Moroccan national team for their contribution to the Ivory Coast's advancement to the tournament's playoffs. After a 0:4 defeat against Equatorial Guinea, the tournament hosts were on the brink of elimination. However, in the final group stage match, the Moroccan national team defeated Zambia, allowing the Ivory Coast to progress to the Round of 16 as the fourth-best third-placed team.

Ironically, in the Round of 16, Morocco suffered a sensational exit at the hands of the South African national team, while the Ivory Coast eliminated the previous African champion, Senegal, in a penalty shootout. Following that, the Ivory Coast triumphed over Mali (2:1), the Democratic Republic of Congo (1:0), and ultimately emerged victorious in the final against Nigeria (2:1).