AFCON 2025 shock: Senegal coach suspended after final

Pape Thiaw, the winning coach, has been suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct during the dramatic final.

The sanction stems from a chaotic 98th-minute incident where Thiaw briefly led his team off the pitch to protest a controversial penalty awarded. Although the squad eventually returned to watch Brahim Diaz miss the spot-kick before securing victory in extra time, CAF deemed the walk-off a violation of regulations.

Thiaw admitted the tension, revealing he consulted Claude Le Roy and legend El Hadji Diouf during the crisis. “Everyone wanted to leave, but they advised me to stay and play,” Thiaw explained. He urged his squad to accept the decision and fight on. While their resilience earned the trophy, the momentary protest has cost the manager a suspension, casting a shadow over Dakar's celebrations.