Sadio Mane captain Senegal to the Africa Cup 2025 title with a dramatic final victory Morocco. After receiving the trophy, Christiano RonaldoAl Nassr’s teammate used the moment to speak out against criticism of the Saudi Pro League.
The 2025 AFCON finals proved unforgettable, with Senegal almost walked off the pitch after a controversial late penalty for Morocco. It was Mané who urged his teammates to continue after Brahim Díaz’s penalty was saved by Édouard Mendy in stoppage time. Pape Gueye sealed the title in extra time with a stunning strike into the top corner.
Individual, Díaz finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goalswhile Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named Best Goalkeeper. The Al Hilal star made several decisive saves during the final, including a remarkable one-on-one stop against Iliman Ndiaye in the first half.
Mané was named Player of the Tournamentand he used his post-match interview to highlight the growing status of the Saudi league. “I was crowned the best player of the tournament when I played in the Saudi league. And Yassine Bounou won the award for best goalkeeper, and he is also a player in the Saudi league”, he emphasized.
Sadio Mane with the Best Player of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament award.
“This proves beyond any doubt that the Saudi competition today ranks among the strongest and best leagues in the worldMane added. His comments echoed similar comments from Cristiano Ronaldo in recent months, but this time they were reinforced by decisive performances on the international stage rather than just in club competition.
see also
Cristiano Ronaldo sends encouraging message to Al Nassr after losing streak ends following complaint from Al Shabab referee
It is also worth noting that the goalkeeper of Senegal Edouard Mendywho made several important saves during the tournament and denied Díaz from the penalty spot in the final, is currently playing in Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli. Of Ronaldo recently told Piers Morgan that scoring in Saudi Arabia is more difficult than in the Spanish La Ligathe debate surrounding the global rankings of the Saudi Pro League has once again gained momentum.
Mané and the decision to continue the match
The most exciting moment of the final came in the 95th minute when El Hadji Diouf pulled Brahim Díaz from behind while defending a corner. After a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, a decision that sparked outrage within the Senegalese camp. head coach Pape Thiaw initially instructed his players to leave the field in protest.
Because there was uncertainty as to whether the match would go ahead, Mané intervened and convinced his teammates to return to the pitch and finish the match. The decision ultimately proved decisive as Senegal regrouped, survived penalties and lifted the AFCON trophy once again.
Looking back on this moment, Mané explained in his post-match interview why he felt it was important to keep playing: “Because the referee can make a mistake, it is not fair to judge him. And most importantly: I did it for people all over the world, they wanted to see the match.“
#Cristiano #Ronaldos #teammate #Sadio #Mane #immediately #set #Saudi #league #record #winning #AFCON #Senegal