Rabat – Senegal’s head coach, Pape Thiaw, admitted he made a mistake during the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final in Rabat, when he asked his players to leave the pitch after Morocco were awarded a late VAR-verified penalty.
The incident caused a long delay and overshadowed what became Senegal’s 1–0 extra-time win.
Speaking at the press conference after the match, Thiaw began by praising his squad: “We must congratulate the players, because winning the title was the goal we wanted to reach, especially this year.”
He pointed out the preparation and resilience that carried Senegal through the tournament: “We prepared well to chase this trophy. We faced difficult matches, especially the final. We really suffered but showed our character.”
Reflecting on the chaotic moment, Thiaw admitted regret: “After thinking it over, I apologize for asking the players to leave the pitch.”
He explained that emotions ran high after Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty for a foul on Brahim Diaz, who later missed the chance. “Sometimes you can react too strongly. We questioned whether the penalty was really correct, and before that we had scored a goal that was not counted.” The coach added that he still disagreed with the call, “But now we accept the referee’s mistakes.”
Thiaw closed his remarks with a broader apology: “We should not have done that (threatening to withdraw), but we now apologize to football.”
The controversy added to the tension of a final already marked by drama. After a 10-minute delay due to the Senegalese team’s chaotic scenes, the game continued. Morocco missed the penalty, and Senegal went on to secure the title with Pape Gueye’s extra-time strike.