The Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal delivered drama both on and off the ball, but one unusual incident near the Senegalese goal almost sparked a serious confrontation and went largely unnoticed during live coverage.
While the battle on the pitch focused on possession and chances, a separate dispute unfolded behind Senegal’s goal involving goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel.
Social media footage later revealed Moroccan players attempting to move the towel away from the goal area, while Senegalese players insisted it remain with their goalkeeper.
ما علاقة المنشفة بـالمباراة؟
pic.twitter.com/Y5b0AeACTv— عمرو (@bt3) January 19, 2026
Achraf Hakimi was seen throwing the towel off the field, only for one of the Senegal players to quickly retrieve it and return it. The situation escalated further when ball boys attempted to take the towel, prompting a confrontation with a Senegalese player.
Tempers flared briefly before several individuals intervened to defuse the situation and prevent it from turning into a physical clash.
Morocco’s efforts to disrupt the routine did not stop there, as Ismael Sibari was later seen standing in front of a Senegalese player in an attempt to block the towel from being placed near the goal. Despite the interference, the towel was eventually handed back to Mendy under the watchful eye of the Moroccan player.
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
The exact reason behind the repeated attempts to remove the towel, which nearly triggered multiple flashpoints near Mendy’s goal, has not been made public.
The incident took on added significance after Mendy went on to save a crucial penalty taken by Brahim Diaz in stoppage time, a moment that forced the final into extra time. Senegal later capitalised on that turning point by scoring the winning goal to secure the AFCON title.
