‘We apologise to football,’ said Pape Thiaw after the chaos in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw regrets asking his players to leave the pitch following the controversial penalty awarded to Morocco in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, played on Sunday 18 January in Rabat.

The Senegalese coach, like his players, was furious that the referee awarded Morocco a dubious penalty after disallowing a Senegalese goal for a push on Hakimi a few minutes earlier. Pape Thiaw then asked his players to leave the pitch in protest.

He regretted this decision at the end of the match, speaking to beIN SPORTS. ‘I didn't like telling my players to leave the pitch at all. After thinking about it, I brought them back. Sometimes you react in the heat of the moment. But we accept the referee's mistakes. We apologise to football,’ said the Senegal coach.