Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Monday, January 19, 2026, 1:15 p.m. / Updated Monday, January 19, 2026 1:16 p.m.
Senegal striker, Sadio Mane (33 years old) was among those who campaigned for the team's return to the field in the final with Morocco (1-0), after a controversial penalty awarded to the opponents.
The scandal in the African Cup of Nations final, Morocco – Senegal 0-1, continues to make waves. “The image we projected of African football was quite shameful. To have to stop a match for more than ten minutes while the whole world is watching is not very classy,” commented the losing coach, Walid Regragui.
Towards the end of regular time, the Senegalese had a goal disallowed, then the Moroccans were awarded a penalty (90+7). Frustrated with the decisions made by the referees, the Senegalese left the field in protest.
Sadio Mane: “I'd rather lose than like this”
However, it did not lead to abandonment, because Sadio Mane convinced his colleagues to return to the pitch. At the restart, Brahim Diaz missed that penalty, attempting a “Panenka”, but Edouard Mendy guessed it. In overtime, Pape Gueye scored the goal that made Senegal the continental champion (min. 94).
In front of the journalists, Mane regretted what happened. “”It would have been really sad and regrettable to see such an end. It is impossible to present such an image to the world,” said the former Bayern Munich player. He added: “I'd rather lose than experience an ending like that. That motivated me to tell the boys to get back on the pitch and play our style of football“.
Gianni Infantino: “Unacceptable and ugly what happened”
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, also took a stand after what happened. The Swiss official considers “unacceptable” and “ugly” the scenes unfolding on the edge of the pitch and in the stands, from where, at one point, the Senegalese fans wanted to get down on the pitch, but were stopped by the police.
He asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) “saddle take appropriate measures”, so that such reprehensible scenes “never happen again”.
