Mamadou Sarr on his father's trail as Senegal face Morocco in AFCON final | OneFootball

Mamadou Sarr, who arrived at the Africa Cup of Nations as a reserve, will start Sunday’s final at 20:00 against hosts Morocco in Rabat. He follows his father Pape, who was sent off in the 2002 semi-final before Senegal lost to Cameroon.

According to Le Progres, the 20-year-old switched from France’s youth ranks to Senegal in November after a call from coach Pape Thiaw. Family history weighed heavily, with relatives saying it influenced his choice and that he felt honoured to be summoned for the tournament. His father, Pape Sarr, won 27 caps around the early 2000s.

This AFCON was initially framed as a learning step, ahead of a possible World Cup this summer. The centre-back broke through at Strasbourg in 2024-2025, moved to Chelsea, and is currently on loan back at Racing.

After a brief outing of a quarter of an hour against Benin in the third group game, with qualification already secured, his tournament pivoted in Wednesday’s semi-final. He replaced Kalidou Koulibaly in the first half and, alongside Moussa Niakhaté, contained Salah and Marmoush.

Thiaw said he sought Sarr out and trusts his calmness despite his age, noting the need for serenity against formidable opponents. In the last 16 he had preferred Abdoulaye Seck when Koulibaly was suspended.

Named to start at Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium, Sarr is described by those close to him as on cloud nine. He knew his role as a back-up, yet circumstances gave him a chance and he feels ready for Sunday.

Source: Le Progres