Senegal’s Sadio Mané brought his AFCON journey to a perfect and dramatic close, winning the Best Player of the Tournament award after leading his nation to a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Morocco in the 2025 AFCON final on Sunday, January 18, 2026, in Rabat.
It was a night filled with tension, controversy and emotion, and Mané stood at the centre of it all, not just as a footballer, but as a true leader.
The game reached its most dramatic point in the 94th minute when Diouf was judged to have fouled Brahim Díaz inside the penalty box.
After long discussions between the referee and VAR officials, the referee went to review the incident and eventually awarded Morocco a penalty.
What followed was chaos. Arguments broke out between players, officials and coaching staff. Senegalese players protested strongly, insisting the decision was unfair.
As tensions rose, Senegal players walked off the pitch in protest, especially after VAR could no longer intervene when Ismaïla Sarr believed he had scored moments earlier.
Fans also broke through the hoardings in frustration, adding to the disorder in the stadium.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led his players into the dressing room, threatening to boycott the match.
Then came the defining moment of leadership.
Sadio Mané rose.
After about fifteen minutes of uncertainty, Mané walked into the dressing room and convinced his teammates to return to the pitch.
His action spoke louder than any goal. It showed maturity, responsibility and deep love for his country.
The crowd watched in admiration as Senegal came back out, ready to finish what they had started.
When play resumed, Brahim Díaz stepped up to take the penalty, but his effort was saved by Édouard Mendy.
Moments later, Pape Gueye scored for Senegal, preserving their lead four minutes into extra time and sealing the West Africans’ second AFCON title.
Rabat erupted—not just in celebration, but in disbelief at how the final moments had unfolded.
As the dust settled, the awards followed.
Morocco’s Yassine Bounou was named Best Goalkeeper after an outstanding tournament, especially his heroic performance against Nigeria in the semifinals where he made several crucial saves and stopped two penalties.
Brahim Díaz claimed the Golden Boot, finishing as top scorer with five goals in six matches. His influence carried Morocco all the way to the final.
But the night belonged to Sadio Mané.
Though he scored fewer goals than Díaz, Mané was crowned Best Player of the Tournament for his leadership, composure and consistent influence throughout the competition.
He was not only a footballer, but a commander, a motivator, and a symbol of unity when chaos threatened to consume the moment.
If this truly was Mané’s final AFCON appearance, then it could not have ended more beautifully. With gold around his neck, a nation behind him, and his name written into history, Dakar will forever remember this night.
Indeed, this was Sadio Mané’s last laugh.
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Story by Xavier Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
