Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye has revealed that the Teranga Lions came close to walking off the pitch during the AFCON 2025 final after a controversial late penalty decision threatened to derail their title hopes.
The incident occurred when a last-minute penalty was awarded against Senegal for a challenge inside the box, a call that was fiercely disputed by the players, who felt the decision was unfair at such a decisive moment of the tournament.
Tempers flared as Senegalese players surrounded the officials, with discussions even taking place about abandoning the match altogether.
“We wanted to stop the game because what happened was not possible for us,” Gueye admitted after the final.
The game was stopped for a few minutes as tensions rose in the stadium, before the referee stuck with his decision and told the player to take the penalty.
In a dramatic moment, the penalty was missed when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz fired the ball straight at Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. His save was vital and gave Senegal confidence again after feeling unfairly treated.”
After the game, Gueye said God played a part in what happened.
“Allah gave us this victory because Allah is not sleeping and Allah sees everything,” he said.
Senegal later won the AFCON trophy, and the penalty drama is now remembered as a tense moment that could have changed the final, but instead became part of a famous victory in the country’s football history.
By: Pascal Amoah
