Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has heaped praise on Sadio Mané for his composure and leadership during a dramatic and controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, insisting the Senegal captain played a decisive role in preventing the match against Morocco from spiraling out of control.
The high-stake final took a chaotic turn when Senegal saw a crucial goal disallowed by referee Jean-Jacques Ndala. The decision immediately ignited tension inside the stadium and on the pitch. Matters escalated further moments later when Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review, after Brahim Díaz went down under pressure from Malick Diouf.
Those back-to-back decisions sparked outrage among the Senegalese camp, with coach Pape Thiaw ordering his players to walk-off the pitch.
While emotions boiled over, Sadio Mane emerged as the calming influence amid the chaos, rallying his teammates return to the pitch.
Mane’s intervention paid off with Pape Gueye netting a crucial goal in extra-time after Brahim Diaz had missed the penalty.
Reflecting on the incident during his “Rio Presents” podcast, Ferdinand admitted he was stunned by what he witnessed, saying he had “never seen anything like this”.
He went on to warn that “African football was at risk” during those tense moments, before revealing the words Mane used to restore order, telling his teammates, “win or lose, you have to come out and play”.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football condemned the disruption and confirmed that an investigation had been opened into the incidents surrounding the final.
However, for Ferdinand, Mane’s leadership stood out as a defining moment, a reminder of the responsibility carried by captains on the biggest stage and the power of calm authority in the face of controversy.
