Moroccan international Ismael Saibari has taken the initiative to visit the Senegal national team’s headquarters to personally apologise to goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, bringing closure to the controversy that followed the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Senegal secured the continental title after defeating host nation Morocco 1-0, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal to crown the Lions of Teranga champions.
According to Actu Foot, which reported the development on its official X account, the meeting took place after Morocco’s defeat, with Saibari keen to turn the page on the debate sparked by the widely discussed “towel” incident during the match.
The network indicated that Mendy, who played a decisive role in Senegal’s victory, accepted the apology and emphasised that tension and confrontation should remain confined to the pitch, while mutual respect must prevail beyond it.
Actu Foot described the moment as a clear expression of African sporting values, noting that the two players exchanged a warm handshake and effectively closed the chapter on any dispute between them.
The incident itself occurred during Sunday’s final in Rabat, where the two periods of extra time were marked by intense tension. A peculiar scene unfolded behind Senegal’s goal involving Mendy’s towel, which he uses to dry his gloves.
ماذا يفعل صيباري هنا !
لاعب المغرب يحول أخذ المنشفة الخاصة بالحارس السنغالي إدوارد ميندي!
المشجع المغربي لا يفهم لماذا 😅🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/ptI7rZMQ2F
— Abokr Omar (@Abokr10) January 19, 2026
During the episode, some Moroccan ball boys and players intervened, including Achraf Hakimi, who threw the towel off the field, and Saibari, who attempted to prevent it from being returned. The situation escalated briefly as a Senegalese substitute tried to shield the towel and hand it back to the goalkeeper before play resumed.
