Senegal star forward Sadio Mané has explained why he urged his teammates to return to the pitch during the tense closing moments of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco on Sunday night.
Senegal edged the host nation 1-0 after 120 minutes to clinch their second AFCON title, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal in the first half of extra time.
The dramatic final was briefly halted late in the second half when the referee awarded Morocco a penalty for a foul on Brahim Díaz. The decision angered the Senegalese players, who momentarily walked off the pitch in protest.
However, cameras later showed Mané appealing to his teammates to resume the match.
Speaking after the game, the former Liverpool forward said he believed walking off would have sent the wrong message to football fans around the world.
“When my teammates decided to leave the pitch, I stayed and asked some people if it was a good idea or not,” Mané said in his post-match interview.
“I then decided to go and bring everyone back. I felt it was the best thing to do. This is football—referees can make mistakes, and that’s part of the game.
“People around the world can judge whether it was a penalty or not, but that wasn’t the most important thing. What matters is that millions were watching, and it wouldn’t have been fair to stop a match like this.”
Mané’s intervention ensured the final was completed, allowing Senegal to secure a historic AFCON triumph.
