Sadio Mané saved African football during AFCON 2025 final – Odion Ighalo

Former Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo claims Sadio Mane “saved African football” by convincing his teammates to return to the field during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.

The Teranga Lions defeated hosts Morocco 1-0 in the final back in January.

However, the Appeals Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) declared that the Lions of Teranga forfeited the match and handed the North Africans the title.

The Senegalese FA have already made an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as they feel they won the final fair and square.

However, Ighalo feels the Appeals Board’s decision is a step back for African football.

“The referee in that game [Morocco vs. Senegal] was a bit biased, but that is football—you understand how it goes,” Ighalo told Brila FM.

“When Senegal walked off the pitch, I wasn’t happy about it. I even said then that Sadio Mané saved African football by convincing his teammates to return and finish the match. They came back, they played, and they won it on the pitch. I believe if CAF wanted to take action, they should have stopped the game right then and there to make a decision.

“Instead, they let Senegal win. Now, months later, they want to take the trophy away. While the rules of the game are the rules and you have to abide by them, I don’t understand how they arrived at this. It is not a good look for African football.

“This AFCON took us ten steps forward, but this decision drags us five steps backward. It has given people leverage to start disparaging African football again,” he added.

Meanwhile, CAF has announced that they will accept and respect the decison of CAS.