AFCON 2025: Mane the Hero! Sadio shows heart of champion to crown Senegal as kings of Africa

Unprecedented, sensational, chaotic, crazy! There are no other words to describe what we just witnessed in the Africa Cup of Nations final, as Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in one of the most controversial games in the entire history of the tournament.

The Lions of Teranga celebrate their second AFCON title following a match that had all the elements of a Hollywood-made blockbuster, one of the wildest and most unbelievable tournament ends in the history of both African and football globally.

Pape Gueye's screamer in the extra time may have decided the winner, but the pivotal moment of the entire showdown happened some 15 minutes prior, deep in the stoppage time, with 0-0 on the scoreboard. First, Senegal scored but the goal didn't stand because of a foul on Achraf Hakimi, while Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty following a foul on Brahim Diaz on the other end shortly after, causing a tantrum among the Senegalese players, who were eager to boycott the rest of the game along with their manager, Pape Thiaw.

Alas, their captain, legendary Sadio Mane, stepped up, showed character and went against his own teammates and coach, convincing them to return and fight till the very end - thus proving his class on the biggest stage of all. The man, the hero, the lion, the champion!

After the game resumed, Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz intended to make history with a Panenka penalty, but instead transformed into a tragic hero as Edouard Mendy denied his disrespectful effort from the spot.

That was Morocco's finest, one-of-a-kind chance to win their only second-ever AFCON title after half a century, but instead they ended in misery, suffering one of the heaviest defeats ever. Moreover, their first home loss after staggering 17 years (39 matches in total)! But let's unwrap this incredible rollercoaster from the very beginning until the end...

Pape Thiaw's men were unimpressed with the the fact Morocco were on a 24-game unbeaten run and with the hostile atmosphere at the Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdellah, a 69,500-seater in Rabat, packed with Morocco's fans. A single section full of Senegalese fans behind one of the goals was on the verge of eruption early on, though, as Pape Gueye had a clear-cut chance from the very first corner kick of the game. Yassine Bounou made a wrong call predicting the ball's trajectory, but eventually found just enough time and space to deny Gueye's header.

It was a good sign for neutral fans, promising much more action on both ends compared to a third-place match and a couple of other games in the knockout stage. Intensity was there, just like desire and pace.

Morocco made their presence visible through the unplayable Ezzalzouli, who kept running riot on the left-hand side together with Saibari. Despite expectations and a specific aura around him, Achraf Hakimi struggled to make an impact in that early stage.

On the other hand, the Lions of Teranga were showing no signs of letting go. Not only did they successfully solve Morocco's constant high pressure, but they were able to get on the verge of a 1-0 lead.

Ten minutes before the half-time break, and only a few moments after he returned to the pitch following a small injury, Iliman Ndiaye probably couldn't believe his own eyes - the winger was completely unmarked on the right flank, having all the time in the world to get the right angle and fire past Bounou. Alas, the former Sevilla keeper stepped up again as a true saviour of his side.

Morocco survived, as the relief was almost palpable among their passionate fans in the stands. Still, the fact that they didn't concede despite two massive goal-scoring opportunities for Senegal wasn't too comforting for the hosts.

Brahim Diaz was nowhere near the action and the ball, just like pretty much every other Moroccan forward.

However, that was about to change very soon, as Walid Regragui's men returned from the half-time break with a completely different energy and determination.

And it paid off...almost.

LIVE BLOG: SENEGAL WIN THE 2025 AFCON!

El Khannous' remarkable low cross put the ball on the plate for the dashing Ayoub El Kaabi, but the man who scored two bicycle-kick goals in the tournament before the final, missed the sitter this time. Mendy was "stranded on the shore", but the ball went wide off the right post.

And then - just when the game went into an open fight - the real blood appeared. El Aynaoui collided with Diouf, and the Roma midfielder ended up on the ground with his head completely covered with blood.

That 'incident', bizarrely, affected the match, as both teams decided to slow down and wait for the last few minutes of the regular time for the final skirmish.

Bounou - again! - denied Mbaye's effort, before Ezzalzouli's shot went over the bar on the other end.

And then - the ultimate drama began with the first moments of the stoppage time!

Ismaila Sarr netted for Senegal, but his goal was voided as Seck - apparently - committed a foul on Hakimi shortly before that. VAR did not react, and - to be fair - it seemed like they should have at least paid a closer look at Seck's foul.

A few minutes later, he did it, but for the incident in the opposite box, and the Congolese referee, Ndala Ngambo, made a call that would trigger complete chaos.

Penalty for Morocco.

Pape Thiaw lost his calm, and so did almost all of his players, as the match descended into utter madness. A handful of Senegalese players, excluding Sadio Mane, left the pitch, infuriated with the late call. We were on the verge of one of the most scandalous moments in the history of AFCON, but Mane's sportsmanship played the decisive role in convincing his teammates to return from the locker room. It took them ten minutes altogether and once both teams were back on the pitch, Brahim Diaz decided to put his name in history with a so-called Panenka shot. Clever? Maybe. Pretentious? Most definitely! Mendy saved it easily for an anticlimax, sending this crazy match into extra time.

Just like that, the entire momentum shifted as Moroccans seemed completely lost, Diaz even more than others.

Regragui subbed him off together with Mazraoui, but the real deal was on the other side of the pitch.

Mane stole the ball near the centre, it reached Papa Gueye on the left, and - despite being out of balance - he launched it superbly into the far corner for a shocking lead, 1-0!

It was still far from over, in terms of time left on the clock, but we all knew that justice would be served. And, yes, the Atlas Lions were inches away from equalizing it, but Aguerd's header hit the crossbar. And, sure, it could have been 2-0 if Cherif Ndiaye didn't miss the impossible in his back-to-back attempts in the 111th minute...

Eventually, it had to end at some point and - if we may conclude - this has to be justice. Served sensationally, like only football can. The Lions of Teranga and their leader Sadio Mane truly deserve it.

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS - FINAL

Senegal - Morocco 1-0 a.e.t. (0-0)

/Gueye 94/