Senegal coach Pape Thiaw apologises after ‘a shameful’ decision in the AFCON 2025 final

The controversy erupted in the dying moments of normal time at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. In a high-stakes sequence, Senegal was first denied a goal due to a foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi. Moments later, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala pointed to the penalty spot for Morocco after a VAR review determined that West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf had fouled Brahim Diaz.

Infuriated by the sudden reversal of fortune, Pape Thiaw commanded his squad to abandon the match in protest. The game was plunged into chaos and remained suspended for several minutes as the majority of the Senegalese players headed toward the locker rooms. The standoff only ended when veteran star Sadio Mane took charge, successfully persuading his teammates to return to the field so the game could resume.

While Senegal eventually secured the title, the walk-off attempt sparked an immediate backlash from the global football community, with many critics arguing it severely tarnished the spirit of fair play. During the post-match press conference, Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui did not hold back his disappointment.

"The image Africa showed today is a bit shameful. When a coach tells his players to leave the pitch… As I said, in the end you always have to remain classy, in defeat as well as in victory. What Pape did tonight does not honour Africa”, Regregui said. 

Facing immense public pressure, Pape Thiaw later admitted his lapse in judgment and offered a formal apology to the fans and the continent. Speaking to beIN Sports, he admitted: "After reflecting, I really did not like the fact that I told my players to leave the pitch. I apologise to football. Sometimes you can react in the heat of the moment... We should not have done it, but it is already done."

Amidst the confusion, Mane stood out as a pillar of professionalism. While others walked off, the 33-year-old remained on the pitch to facilitate the restart. Mane later hinted that abandoning the game would have been a massive sign of disrespect to the supporters, saying: “The referee can make a mistake… it’s not fair to judge him. There’s also people around the world on stand by, they wanted to watch the game”

The match reached its climax when Edouard Mendy saved Diaz’s "panenka" penalty, sending the game into extra time. In the 94th minute, Pape Gueye scored a stunning goal to seal a 1-0 victory, earning the Lions of Teranga their second historical AFCON title.

This triumph marks the first major trophy for Pape Thiaw since he assumed the head coaching role in December 2024. As a former player, Thiaw earned 16 caps and scored 5 goals for Senegal. Since transitioning to management, the 1981-born strategist has maintained an impressive record of 16 wins, 3 draws, and only 1 loss in 21 matches.