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Senegal forward Sadio Mané has revealed how he intervened to prevent members of the national men’s football team from boycotting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final following a controversial refereeing decision.
Senegal secured the AFCON title with a 1–0 extra-time victory over hosts Morocco, but the final was nearly abandoned late in regulation time after Senegal players reacted angrily to a disputed penalty awarded to the hosts. The protest lasted several minutes, with several Senegal players, including goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and defender Ibrahim Mbaye, briefly heading towards the dressing room on the instructions of head coach Pape Thiaw.
According to Mané, he stepped in to convince his teammates to return to the pitch and complete the match.
The penalty, taken by Brahim Díaz, was saved by Mendy, forcing the game into extra time. Senegal eventually sealed victory when Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal, earning the Teranga Lions their second AFCON title.
Speaking after the final, where he was named Player of the Tournament, Mané explained that walking away from the match would have sent the wrong message about African football.
“Just imagine for a second going into the locker rooms and the football match stopping there. I think that would convey a negative image of our football. Africa today does not deserve that,” Mané told the BBC.
He added that African football had made significant progress on the global stage and deserved to be represented positively.
“African football has evolved in an incredible way, and the proof is that it is followed all over the world. On my side, I did what I had to do,” he said.
