Sadio Mané recounts the exchange that saved the AFCON final! | OneFootball

AFCON final: Mané reveals the decisive dialogue with Claude Le Roy

Sadio Mane / @x.com

The final minutes of regulation time in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal were marked by extraordinary tension, as Senegalese players left the pitch in protest over a penalty awarded to Morocco following a video assistant referee (VAR) review—a scene rarely witnessed at this stage of the competition.

The decision by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, justified by an alleged foul on Brahim Díaz, sparked outrage among the Senegalese staff and players, especially since a Senegal goal had been ruled out earlier without a VAR intervention in what was seen as a similar situation.

Claude Le Roy’s words that convinced Mané

While most of the “Lions of Teranga” were heading for the dressing room, captain Sadio Mané remained on the pitch and entered into a direct conversation with the experienced French coach Claude Le Roy.

In media statements, Mané revealed the details of this crucial exchange with the man nicknamed the “White Wizard,” emphasizing how strongly the group felt a sense of injustice at that moment.

“The VAR referee didn’t call the main referee to review Senegal’s disallowed goal. That’s the injustice our staff was protesting. So I asked him what we should do,” Mané explained.

He continued: “Claude Le Roy told me that injustice exists in football, but leaving the pitch wasn’t the solution. He advised me to ask my teammates to return to the field and resume the match, because nothing had been decided yet.”

Convinced by these words, the Senegalese captain immediately went to the dressing room to rally his teammates and persuade them to resume the game.

The restart saw Brahim Díaz miss his penalty, sending the match into extra time, where Senegal eventually triumphed thanks to a decisive goal from Pape Gueye, clinching the continental title.

Mané addresses his future with Senegal

Asked about his refusal to leave the pitch like his teammates, Mané clarified: “Because the referee can make mistakes, just like us, and it’s not up to us to judge him. Above all, I did it for people around the world: they wanted to watch the match.”

Finally, the Al-Nassr star also hinted that this AFCON might mark the end of an era for him with the national team: “I’m very happy, but as far as the AFCON is concerned, for me, it’s over. I’ll continue with the national team until the World Cup, then that will be it.”