AFCON 2025 Final: Mamadou Niang Discloses What He Told Mane Before Senegal Stars Returned to Play
- Sadio Mane intervened to bring his Senegal teammates back to the pitch in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final
- The Teranga Lions stars left the pitch on the order of head coach Pape Thiaw to protest Morocco’s penalty
- Mamadou Niang, one of the three persons Mane consulted, has disclosed what he told the Al-Nassr winger
Former Senegal star Mamadou Niang has disclosed what he told Sadio Mane before the players returned to the pitch in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.
The AFCON 2025 final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on January 18 turned chaotic after referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a penalty to Morocco in the last minute.
Source: Getty Images
Ndala’s decision to award the penalty came five minutes after he disallowed Ismaila Sarr’s goal, prompting a protest from Senegal’s technical area.
Pape Thiaw told his players to leave the pitch, halting the biggest game on the African continent for 17 minutes before Sadio Mane told his teammates to return.
Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, attempting a ridiculous Panenka, which Édouard Mendy easily collected. Pape Gueye struck the winner minutes later.
Niang discloses his conversation with Mane
According to Goal, Mane spoke to Claude Le Roy, El Hadji Diouf and Mamadou Niang before telling his teammates to return to the pitch.
Former striker Niang has lifted the lid on what he told Mane before he went into the tunnel to recall his teammates and continue the match.
“When the players started to leave the field, he had a look of doubt, he didn't understand what was happening,” he told Canal+ Sports Afrique about Mane’s reaction.
“At that moment, I am close to the touchline. He looks at me and says: 'Mamad, what do I do?' I wanted to tell him that he had the answer inside him. But he just wanted to have support.
“I told him very quickly: 'You must not leave the pitch, we see everything that is happening, I can understand that there is anger, frustration, but you have to finish this match, it is perhaps your last AFCON, and you cannot go out like that. If we have to lose, we will lose, but not like that, we will lose like men'.”
Source: Getty Images
The former Liverpool star had earlier confirmed it was his last AFCON, and Niang added this as part of what he told him to continue the match.
CAF noted Mane’s intervention in the situation and leadership throughout the tournament as a key factor that made him the Player of the Tournament.
The organisation’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee is expected to announce sanctions on different individuals involved in the disruption.
Pape Gueye sends message to Mane
Legit.ng previously reported that AFCON 2025 winning goal scorer Pape Gueye sent a message to Mane for his intervention during the chaos.
The Villarreal star admitted that it was a mistake to have left the pitch, but claimed it was out of emotions against injustice and thanked Mane for his leadership.
Source: Legit.ng
