Congratulations to Senegal for winning its second star and becoming this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Champion in what was a surreal final against Morocco on Sunday January 18, in Rabat, Morocco. The best team won. The AFCON started on December 21, 2025, and ended on January 18, 2026 in Morocco. Some of the best continental teams played in the tournament and showed us beautiful football. There were some games that were okay, while others were awesome. Until Sunday, the host country had been praised for the organization of the tournament, getting praises from big names like Mohamed Salah, for their impressive infrastructure, stadiums, the quality of the pitches, and travel links.

After a month of intense games, the final opposed The Teranga Lions of Senegal to the Atlas Lions of Morocco. At first, the game was a bit tepid but slowly built in action towards the end. At the 96^th minute, Senegal’s Ismaïla Sarr scored a goal which was denied by the referee; never taking the time to check the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Then 2 minutes later, at the 98^th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Morocco, under the pressure of the Moroccan player Brahim Diaz who insisted that he checked the VAR. The referee went on to check the VAR and allowed the penalty. Then chaos ensued. The Senegalese players were indignant, and rightfully so: why the double standard? Why check the VAR for one and not the other? If the penalty is valid, then why was the previous goal denied?

The Senegalese coach Pape Thiaw, frustrated from the referee disallowing their previous goal, and then allowing a Moroccan penalty, asked his boys to leave the pitch. While this was going on, a scuffle started in the stadium between the Senegalese fans, and the security on the field, degenerating with some exchanging blows. Some of the Senegalese players went back to the lockers while others were still standing on the pitch. Then Sadio Mané, the team’s captain went to exchange brief words with Claude LeRoy on the pitch and El Hadji Diouf, then he ran back to the lockers to call his teammates telling them “Venez, on va jouer comme des hommes!” “Come, we will play like men!” In other words, although there is injustice, let’s play, if we lose, we lose like men. 

After the players returned to the field, Moroccan forward Brahim Diaz, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, shot the penalty in a lame ‘Panenka’ effort which was caught by Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy, and the referee blew the whistle for full-time. During extra time, Senegalese player Pape Gueye then scored the winning goal at the fourth minute of extra time to seal a second triumph in five years for the Teranga Lions. Senegal won 1-0 against Morocco. There is no doubt that Senegal has had one of the strongest and most consistent teams of the past 5 years on the continent, winning 2 AFCON titles and making it to the semi-finals another time.

Most western media talk of the Senegalese “outrageous” behavior for walking off the pitch, yet, they do not talk of the reason why: their goal 2 minutes earlier had been denied in a way that seemed quite unjust. The MSM even go as far as blaming social media, because while their cameras only showed the Senegalese walking off the pitch, they forgot to show the Moroccan ball boys, players, staff, and security harassing the Senegalese reserve goalkeeper (who was standing to the side of his goalkeeper’s cage), to the point of assaulting him and dragging him by his feet for protecting a TOWEL!!! People also forget, conveniently, that there were several incidents that happened before the game that culminated with the Senegalese team’s feeling of injustice: the security before the game, the training camp, their hotel, the number of tickets, or the sudden illnesses that struck some star players, and so on. No wonder people are seeing Senegal’s win as divine justice!

FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino condemned the behavior of Senegal players and members of the coaching staff after a chaotic end to the Africa Cup of Nations final, saying violence and walk-offs had no place in football. He talks of sanctioning Senegal. Why didn’t FIFA sanction Argentina when Lionel Messi ordered his teammates off the pitch during a World Cup Qualifier game against Brazil? Lionel Messi and the Argentinian team walked off the pitch during a World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023 at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, protesting violent clashes between police and Argentine fans in the stands, an act of solidarity and protest that delayed the match for about 30 minutes before they eventually returned to play. If FIFA sanctions Senegal, then they should also sanction Argentina! If FIFA sanctions Pape Thiaw, then Lionel Messi should also be sanctioned. Lastly, are they also going to look at the unbelievable behavior of the Moroccans players, ball boys, staff, and security toward the Senegalese keeper for his towel during the game? If Senegal gets sanctioned, then Morocco also should get sanctioned! There cannot be double standards for Africans!!!

We congratulate the Senegalese team on winning the AFCON 2025; they were real Gaïndés! We also congratulate Sadio Mané who won the Fair play man of the tournament for his outstanding sportsmanship. Above all, we thank all the teams for a great tournament and Morocco for hosting. We, in no way condone breaking rules, but Senegal showed us that we have a say in our destiny, and in the face of injustice, Mané reminded us that we should be men, and stand erect!