Senegal captain Sadio Mané has revealed the crucial message he delivered to his teammates during the dramatic closing moments of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, as the Teranga Lions went on to defeat hosts Morocco and lift the continental trophy on Sunday night.
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The final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat was overshadowed by chaos late on, after the centre referee awarded.
Morocco a penalty with less than two minutes left on the clock for a foul on Brahim Díaz. The decision sparked furious protests from Senegalese players, leading to a 17-minute delay as they briefly walked off the pitch on the instruction of the coaching staff.
Amid the tense scenes, Mané stood out for his calm and sportsmanship, urging his teammates to refocus and see the match through in the right spirit.
Speaking after Senegal’s hard-fought victory, Mané described the night as emotional and historic, noting that the final could mark his last appearance at an AFCON tournament.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone for the support — the Senegalese people across Africa and around the world,” Mané said. “It was not an easy game, but at the end of the day we did it, and we are really happy.”
Reflecting on the controversy, the former African Footballer of the Year explained how the squad handled the situation collectively.
“The decision was taken together by the team,” he said. “We spoke among ourselves about whether it was a good idea to continue or not. In the end, I decided to bring everyone back onto the pitch.”
Mané was widely praised for calming his teammates before the penalty was eventually taken, an act of leadership he believes was vital.
“I think it was the best thing to do because this is football,” he added. “Referees can make mistakes, just like players. People will judge whether it was a penalty or not, but that is not the most important thing.”
According to Mané, protecting the integrity of the game was paramount, especially on such a global stage.
“The whole world was watching this match,” he said. “It is not fair to stop a game like that. It was really important to continue and finish the match properly. Whether we won or lost, football had to come first.”
Senegal went on to secure victory and claim their second AFCON title, further cementing Mané’s legacy as one of the nation’s greatest-ever players.
Asked how he intended to celebrate the achievement, the forward admitted the emotions were still overwhelming.
“Right now, I am full of emotion,” he said with a smile. “I don’t even know how I’m going to celebrate.”
Senegal’s triumph not only crowned them champions of Africa once again but also highlighted Mané’s leadership, composure and commitment to fair play on the continent’s biggest stage.
