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The Confederation of African Football demanded that Sadio Mané return his 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Most Valuable Player award. The Senegalese captain refused. Mané reportedly stated, “I won it on the pitch, not in the boardroom.” As reported by ALO360, the Al-Nassr forward maintained that the trophy rightfully belongs to him and remains secured in Senegal.
The controversy stems from the AFCON final held in Rabat on January 18, 2026. Senegal defeated host nation Morocco 1–0 after extra time to claim what initially appeared to be their second continental crown. However, the match featured a dramatic incident in second-half stoppage time when referee Jean Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty following a VAR review. Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest, causing a suspension of approximately 15 minutes. Mané personally urged his teammates to return and complete the match. Morocco’s Brahim Díaz subsequently missed the penalty, and Senegal secured victory through a goal by Pape Gueye.
In March 2026, CAF’s appeals board ruled that Senegal’s temporary withdrawal constituted a forfeit under Article 82 of tournament regulations. The governing body stripped Senegal of the title and awarded Morocco a 3–0 default victory. Furthermore, CAF moved to reassign individual accolades to align with the revised outcome. The organization instructed Mané to surrender his MVP award so it could be presented to Díaz instead.
The Senegalese Football Federation reacted with immediate defiance. Officials described the ruling as unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable. The federation announced plans to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. Additionally, reports indicated that both the team trophy and Mané’s individual award were secured at a military base in Senegal, underscoring the nation’s refusal to recognize CAF’s authority.
