The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final between Senegal’s Teranga Lions and hosts Morocco will be remembered for three things: officiating, raw emotion, and a historic protest.

Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has addressed the game’s flashpoint -the moment he ordered his team off the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco. In a recent Instagram post, Thiaw said the decision was fueled by emotion rather than defiance of the laws of the game – a response to what he sees as “overwhelming injustice” in the heat of the moment.

Despite lifting the trophy, the CAF Disciplinary Committee is expected to rule on whether the team or Thiaw personally will face sanctions for the temporary walk-off.