Rabat – Senegal’s national team coach, Pape Thiaw, has announced he will release a social media video on May 17 to reveal his “own version” of the events that defined the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Thiaw’s announcement comes as the legal fallout from the final continues to divide African football. The Senegalese famously ordered his team to withdraw from the pitch during the AFCON final against hosts Morocco in Rabat, triggering a nearly 15-minute delay and was widely condemned as a blow in the tournament.
Behind the Scenes
Thiaw indicated that the upcoming video will provide a “behind-the-scenes” look at Senegal’s entire participation in the tournament, generally focusing on the disallowed goal of the Senegal national team that was ruled out for a foul, just moments before the penalty incident.
The video is also expected to include the VAR-validated penalty that was awarded to Morocco for an active foul on Brahim Diaz, which Thiaw initially refused to accept.
Tone shift
The coach’s decision to release this “version” marks a shift from his immediate post-match stance shortly after the final in January.
Thiaw offered a public apology before during the post-match press conference, stating: “I apologize for asking the players to leave the field… We shouldn’t have done that (withdrawal), but now we apologize to football.”
However, the CAF Appeal Board’s decision in March to officially stripped off the title from Senegal and award it to Morocco on a 3-0 forfeit victory, clamped Senegal to move to challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
