The name, Pape Thiaw, coach of Senegal’s national football team will undoubtedly feature prominently when the history of the just ended 2025 AFCON is written. Unfortunately for bad reasons.
It was this gentleman who nearly brought the exciting continental football festival to an abrupt anti-climax.
With barely two minutes of normal time to end a scoreless Morocco-Senegal Cup Final the highly agitated coach, threw caution to the winds and ordered his players off the pitch in protest against an admittedly debatable penalty award against his team. Sportsmanship at large indeed.
In the glare of worldwide TV coverage you could sense an obvious embarrassment for African football.
Instantly the incident reminded me of a parallel situation in the 1970 AFCON in Sudan after the Sudan-Ghana final in Khartoum .
The Black Stars had lost the match 1-0 and instead of being presented with the silver medals first, Sudan were rather honoured first. Contrary to protocol Sudan’s freshly installed Coup maker Head of State General Nimeiry presented the winning medals and the trophy amidst massive crowd jubilation.
As the defeated Black Stars appeared completely ignored like some orphans, head coach Ben Kwofie asked skipper John Eshun to lead the team out from the stadium.
When Sudanese officials later on realised the break in protocol, the Black Stars had already left the stadium in frustration.
The Sudanese military government reportedly felt slighted and ordered the immediate deportation of the Ghana football contingent.
Yours truly was right in the thick of affairs in Sudan. I was not amused at all because the media had planned a lot of after match socials. At any rate contingency arrangements by head of delegation Mr .A. E. Sampson, took us from the hotel at midnight to the Airport where Ethiopian Airlines came in handy after almost eight hours wait.
Apologies for the diversion. Back to the AFCON 25 issue, I believe providence played a role in restoring normalcy in Morocco and a champion emerged to successfully end a well organised tournament. Morocco deserve praise for providing those top class sports facilities.
Nature can also work wonders at times. Cool and collected legendary Senegalese skipper Sadio Mane showed immense leadership qualities. Look at the way he got his players back on the pitch to resume play. Senegalese goalie Mendy on the other hand appeared to have hypnotised Moroccan top striker Ibrahim and the goal king surprisingly and tamely kicked the ball straight into the waiting hands of the goalie.
At this stage you could sense the Moroccans were inwardly down-hearted. It was no wonder that Senegal managed to overpower them and deservingly got the winning goal.
Thanks to the leadership qualities displayed by Sadio Mane the tournament ended successfully. Morocco can take consolation from the fact that they scored full marks for splendid organisation. I suspect the usual critics who don’t seem to see any good in the so called Third World have been put to shame.
Indeed the social media is full of admiration for Senegalese skipper in particular for his leadership qualities.
May I reproduce this beautiful one by Adusa Poku, football fan if you missed it.
SADIO MANÉ’S MASTERCLASS IN LEADERSHIP: THE DECISION THAT SAVED A NATION’S DREAM.
It was a masterclass in leadership.
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MANÉ’S MOMENT
- Stand firm when others doubt.
When everyone else walked away, Sadio stayed. Great leaders often find themselves alone at first – and that’s where courage begins.
- Bring your team back from the brink.
He didn’t just protest – he called his teammates back, reminding them that the game wasn’t over, and neither was their chance.
- Focus on what you can control.
Reactions to setbacks define outcomes more than the setbacks themselves. When emotions ran high and bitterness could have taken over, Sadio chose determination and focus.
- Never give up – even when life feels unfair.
The referee’s decision felt unjust to many though l felt otherwise, and the emotional weight was heavy. Yet life – like football – teaches us that you can still win after heartbreak, disappointment, and chaos.
- Don’t quit before the miracle happens.
Life’s “whistle” can blow at any moment. The final wasn’t over until extra time and your dreams too aren’t over until the last effort is made.
- Leadership isn’t about authority – it’s about influence.
Sadio didn’t demand his teammates return – he inspired them to. That’s what real leaders do.
- You may not see the impact today but vindication comes in time.
Sometimes what you do may not be appreciated immediately but integrity never goes unnoticed.
- Professionalism shows up when it hurts most.
It’s easy to lead when things are going well. It takes character to stand ground when decisions seem unfair and emotions run high.
- A brief delay doesn’t determine destiny.
Sometimes life will hand you rulings that seem unjust. But how you respond with grit and resolve shapes your outcome.
- Courage under pressure wins more than trophies.
Mané’s steadiness under pressure ultimately helped his team persevere and triumph.
A Final Thought In life, like in football: Until the last whistle is blown, don’t give up on the pitch, don’t give up on your team, and most of all, don’t give up on yourself.
Lead with courage, stand with purpose, and when the world watches, make them believe in what’s possible.
Richmond Adusa-Poku. An Armchair Football Fan
Send this forward to someone who needs encouragement today because “real leadership isn’t defined by absence of adversity, but by how you rise when the odds are stacked against you.”
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
