Not everyone who wears the captain’s armband has the attributes of a true leader. Shouting orders, giving instructions, or having a big name doesn’t automatically earn respect – true leadership comes from setting an example, inspiring teammates, staying calm under pressure, and making decisions that benefit the whole team. And that, is exactly what Sadio Mane demonstrated on the night of Senegal’s AFCON final, and also why he was named AFCON’s best player.
In a fiercely contested clash between two teams with nearly identical records coming into the game, the match was marred by ugly scenes that have no place in African football.
Throughout the game, both sides created chances to take the lead, but Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye and Morocco’s Ayoub El Kaabi failed to convert, ensuring the first half ended goalless. The pattern continued after the break, with neither team able to find the net.
After 90 minutes, the referee signalled eight minutes of added time, and in the final minute, a controversial penalty was awarded when Malick Diouf was judged to have fouled Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz in the box, igniting protests and outrage in both teams’ technical areas.
The Senegalese walk-off was led by head coach Pape Thiaw as he felt his team was being treated unfairly and that the referee’s decisions were dubious and were compromising the integrity of the game. The interruption lasted for about 14 minutes before Sadio Mane – who was the only player left on the pitch – showed the courage to step up and call his entire team back onto the pitch, despite him not wearing the captain’s armband.
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After the chaos subsided and the players returned to the pitch, Mane charged his teammates, saying, “Let us go out and play like men.” His words seemed to ignite a new surge of energy, giving the team the drive to fight harder, run, and tackle with renewed determination.
Just minutes later, Brahim Díaz stepped up to take the penalty that could have sealed Morocco’s first AFCON title in 50 years, but his Panenka attempt was brilliantly saved by Edouard Mendy, with the final whistle blowing almost immediately after.
Four minutes into the first half of extra time, a superb strike from Pape Gueye found the back of the net, beating Yassine Bounou, who had made several brilliant saves earlier in the match.
Throughout the remainder of the contest, there were opportunities for either side to snatch an equaliser or extend the lead, with both teams creating dangerous moments, testing the goalkeepers, and pushing relentlessly in a tense battle that kept supporters of both nations, as well as neutrals, on the edge of their seats until the very last whistle.
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Disqualification and Disgrace: The Nightmare Scenario Afcon’s Best Player Prevented (CAF Sanctions 101)
Over the years, AFCON finals have been marred by controversy.
From the 2000 AFCON final in Lagos between co-hosts Nigeria and Cameroon, where Victor Ikpeba’s penalty that clearly crossed the goal line was controversially ruled out due to the linesman’s poor judgement – a decision that proved costly, as Cameroon went on to win the shootout 4-3 to lift their third African title – to the 1988 final in Morocco, where Nigeria once again faced Cameroon. The match was decided by a highly disputed penalty awarded to Cameroon after Nigeria had an early goal contentiously disallowed, with both decisions heavily influencing Cameroon’s 1-0 victory.
Despite this, nothing comes close to the controversy of the 2025/26 AFCON final, which almost led to a team abandoning the match.
The last country to stage a walk-off was Tunisia in the 1978 AFCON third-place match. The protest was to show their dismay at a disallowed goal. The match was abandoned and the Super Eagles of Nigeria were awarded a 2-0 win, while Tunisia received a two-year ban from CAF competitions.
If the Senegalese walk-off had been successfully completed, Pape Thiaw and his players would have faced the same fate, risking an even harsher punishment than that handed to Tunisia, with serious repercussions for the Senegalese Football Association.
Possible Sanctions
1. Match Forfeiture and Loss of Title
2. A Multi-Year Ban from the African Cup Of Nations
3. Significant Financial Penalties
4. Reputational Damage and Possible Loss of a World Cup Spot
If Mane had chosen to join the walk-off, there is a strong possibility the referee would have blown his whistle for full time, effectively handing the title to Morocco. Under CAF regulations, the Atlas Lions would have been awarded a 3-0 victory. For a competition of this magnitude to end in such an embarrassing fashion would have caused a serious dent in the tournament’s image.
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Sadio Mane Takes the Crown
In the recent 2025 Afcon final, Sadio Mane, who was rightly crowned AFCON’s best player with five goal contributions (two goals and three assists), created 18 chances, the most of any player in the competition.
This output means Mane has now been involved in 20 goals (11 goals and 9 assists) in his entire AFCON career, making him the most decisive player in the tournament in the 21st century.
Away from his creativity and skills on the pitch, Mane saved his nation as his leadership qualities were on full display.
That singular act of running into the dressing room to call his players out saved Senegal from losing the title, facing significant fines, and potentially a multi-year ban from all CAF competitions that would affect the younger generation of athletes.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Xinhua
Recording Date: 18.01.2026
