Sadio Mané’s intervention during the closing moments of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final has emerged as one of the most talked-about episodes of the tournament, following a revealing exchange between the Senegal forward and the match officials after the final whistle.
Senegal secured the continental title with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Morocco in Rabat, a match marked by extreme tension and a controversial refereeing decision late in stoppage time.
As emotions threatened to boil over, television footage later broadcast by beIN Sports captured an unexpected moment away from the pitch, highlighting Mané’s role in restoring calm at a critical juncture.
The exchange took place on the sidelines during the medal ceremony, where members of the refereeing team approached Mané to express their gratitude.
The conversation involved the fourth official Abongile Tom, video assistant referee Pierre Atcho, and the match referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, whose decisions had come under intense scrutiny during the final.
Tom initiated the exchange quietly, calling Mané aside before thanking him.
“Sadio!”
“Thank you very much!” Mané replied.
“You were the only person to tell the others to come back.”
The words referred to the decisive moment late in the match when Senegalese players briefly left the pitch following a disputed penalty awarded to Morocco in the 90th+7th minute.
While head coach Pape Thiaw appeared to support the protest, Mané was visibly uncomfortable with the situation.
Acting independently, the forward urged his teammates to return to the field, allowing the match to continue and ultimately reach its conclusion.
Tom later addressed his colleagues, underlining Mané’s influence.
“I told him he was the only one who had acted, the only one!”
Referee Jean-Jacques Ndala followed with a pointed remark.
“How did you do it? You’re a captain!”
VAR official Pierre Atcho also expressed appreciation.
“That’s great. Thank you. As I told you, thank you for what you did.”
😳 Sadio Mané remercié par les arbitres après la finale de la CAN ! 🤝🇸🇳
👀 On débriefe tout ce qu’il s’est passé entre le Sénégal et le Maroc dans le nouvel épisode de #CANExtra avec @RedaMrabit @hmzrhmn @thiam_brahim et @truilletgui pic.twitter.com/rlaue3pmzS
— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) January 21, 2026
The tone of the exchange reflected a sense of relief among the officials, who appeared acutely aware of how close the final had come to descending into chaos.
The sequence has since fuelled debate, with some observers suggesting that Mané’s intervention prevented a far more serious crisis during African football’s flagship event.
As Senegal celebrated a historic triumph, the brief but telling interaction offered a rare glimpse into the pressures faced by players and officials alike, and reinforced Mané’s reputation as a leader whose influence extends well beyond his goals and performances.
