Former Morocco coach Hervé Renard has reopened discussion on the so-called “towel incident” that marked the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal.
In a recent interview with Jeune Afrique, Renard described the episode as complex and symbolic within African football culture.
“The towel story is long and complicated. It has a certain significance, that’s all,” he noted, adding that if someone tried to remove it, the aim might have been to unsettle the opponent.
“In Europe, people don’t understand that there is something behind it. Was the towel charmed? In Africa, these are beliefs, and everyone is free to believe what they want.”
Renard stressed that outsiders often miss this cultural nuance.
“Those who don’t know Africa cannot understand. Moroccans would never allow anyone to cross that line,” he explained.
While he admitted uncertainty over whether the incident truly occurred, Renard recalled similar intense atmospheres during his coaching years across the continent.
The controversy unfolded in Rabat during the AFCON 2025 final, where Senegal secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco.
The focus was on goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel, which he kept in goal to wipe his gloves in wet conditions.
In the closing moments, ball boys, security staff, and players swarmed the penalty area as backup keeper Yehvann Diouf tried to protect the towel, eventually falling in the scuffle.
Diouf defended his actions, saying he was only assisting Mendy and did not intend to disrupt play.
Television coverage dubbed the scene a “towel tussle,” showing Moroccan midfielder Ismael Saibari blocking Diouf as he returned the towel, while a ball boy also reached for it.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) later handed Saibari a two-match suspension and a $100,000 fine. Saibari has since apologised to Mendy, insisting his actions were misunderstood.
The incident drew wide attention, with some interpreting Moroccan players’ attempts to interfere with the towel as a tactic to unnerve Mendy, while others linked it to superstition.
CAF’s refereeing chief, Olivier Safari, later weighed in on Canal+ Afrique: “The towel is not part of a goalkeeper’s official equipment. Its use must remain within the spirit of fair play,” he explained.
“If it influences the match, it must be removed from the playing area,” he added.
