AFCON 2025 Final: Footage Discloses What Referees Told Sadio Mane After Senegal Beat Morocco
- New footage has emerged of the conversation between match officials and Sadio Mane after the AFCON 2025 final
- Mane saved the day by ordering his teammates to continue the match after they had initially walked off the pitch
- CAF noted that Mane’s leadership in that crucial moment was part of why he was named the player of the tournament
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Fresh footage has emerged from the aftermath of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which could shape perception about the controversial match on January 18, 2026.
The additional minutes of the 90s tainted the entire match due to disallowed goals, controversial penalties and potential match boycott.
Source: Getty Images
Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala disallowed Ismaila Sarr’s goal in the 92nd minute, before awarding a penalty to Morocco in the 97th minute.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw told his players to leave the pitch in protest, and the final match was suspended for about 17 minutes before Sadio Mane’s intervention, as noted by Foot Africa.
Brahim Diaz missed the resulting penalty, and Pape Gueye scored in the fourth minute of extra time to give the Teranga Lions victory at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
What referees told Sadio Mane
Footage from beIN Sport has emerged online, disclosing what the match officials told Sadio Mane after the controversial AFCON 2025 final.
Mane saved the officials’ blushes by recalling his teammates, and they acknowledged this in their comments to him during the post-match pleasantries.
South African referee Abongile Tom, who was the fourth official said:
“You were the only one who told the others to come back. I said he was the only one who acted! The only one!”
“How did you do that? You are a true leader!” centre referee Jean-Jacques Ndala said.
“That was incredible, thank you so much. As I told you last time, thank you for what you did,” VAR assistant Letticia Viana added.
Why Mane recalled his teammates
Mane, speaking after the match, as quoted by The Guardian, claimed that he brought back his teammates to complete the match for the love of the game.
Source: Getty Images
“Not the best things can happen in football because football is something special, and the world is watching. The world loves football. I think football is just a pleasure, so I think we just need to give a special, a great, great image of football,” he said.
“Football should not ever stop to come back for 10 minutes, but what can I do? What can we do? I think we just have to accept … and deal with it. I thought good things would happen if we came back and played the game, and that’s what happened.”
There are multiple petitions and investigations into the incidents during and after the match, as CAF is expected to crack down on defaulters heavily.
Why Thiaw told his players to leave
Legit.ng reported that Pape Thiaw explained why he told his Senegalese players to walk off the pitch during the controversial AFCON 2025 final.
The manager admitted that it was not his intention to go against the principles of football, but he acted out of emotion to protect his players against injustice.
Source: Legit.ng
