Senegal National Men’s Football Team captain Sadio Mane has responded to Africa’s football governing body (CAF) regarding the Appeals Board of the body ruling in favour of Morocco’s protest to strip the 2025 AFCON title from Senegal.
The decision to hand the title to Morocco by CAF’s Appeals Board, was announced on Tuesday, March 17 after Morocco’s appeal case on an original ruling regarding Senegal forfeiting the 2025 AFCON Final for breaching Articles 82 and 84 of CAF’s regulations, was upheld. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
At the 2025 AFCON Finals, Senegal players walked off the pitch to protest against the penalty decision by referee Jean-Jacques Ndala but returned after a few minutes to continue the game and register the 1-0 win after extra time to clinch its second ever AFCON title.
However, the decision by CAF on March 17 meant that Morocco are now winners of the trophy but Sadio Mane responded to this in a post on Instagram.
“The world knows the true champions” he wrote and added that,
“What happened has gone too far. This is not the football we fight for, not the Africa we believe in. There is too much corruption in our game, and it’s killing the passion of millions of fans across the continent.”
“Players give everything on the pitch, but decisions off it are deciding matches and trophies. I’m deeply disappointed not just for Senegal, but for African football as a whole. We deserve better. The fans deserve fairness, transparency, and respect.”
