Sadio Mane of Senegal during 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Semi Final match between Senegal and Egypt on the 14 January 2026 at Grand Stadium Tangier in Tangier ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026. 15:00
Former Watford and Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo believes that Sadio Mane did the honourable thing by convincing his teammates to return to the pitch during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
At the time, Senegal claimed a 1-0 win against hosts Morocco in the final at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in January.
However, the game was largely remembered for Senegal walking off the pitch following a string of refereeing decisions that went the opposite way. Amid a lengthy delay before the final whistle, Mane was seen attempting to convince his players to return to the pitch.
As a result of the Senegal players’ actions, CAF declared that the Lions of Teranga forfeited the match and the title was awarded to Morocco a couple of months later.
Reflecting on the incident, Ighalo expressed that Mane conducted himself in a classy manner and that CAF should have acted sooner.
“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, as per Kick-off.
“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.”