Senegal forward Sadio Mane has explained his role in getting members of Senegal’s National Men’s Football Team to avoid boycotting the 2025 AFCON final game.
Senegal won this year’s AFCON with a 1-0 win over host nation Morocco but the Teranga Lions almost quit close to the end of the game in regulation time after fuming over a controversial penalty call to Morocco.
The standoff dragged for several minutes and several Senegal players including Edouard Mendy and Ibrahim Mbaye, on the instructions of head coach Pape Thiaw, went to the dressing room but got called back to the pitch by Mane to finish the game.
Mendy saved Brahim Diaz’s penalty kick attempt forcing the game into extra time that had Pape Gueye score the winning goal to secure Senegal’s second AFCON title.
In his post-game address after winning the Player of the Tournament Award, Mane talked through the controversial episode stating that it would have been crazy to finish the game.
“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. I think Africa today does not deserve that.”
“African football has evolved in an incredible way and the proof is that it is followed all over the world. So, on my side, I did what I had to do” Sadio Mane said to the BBC.
