A final marked by a surreal image

The AFCON 2025 final, played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, will be remembered not only for Senegal’s 1-0 victory over Morocco, but also for one of the strangest and most controversial episodes ever seen in a continental final.

In stoppage time, with the match halted amid refereeing controversy, attention suddenly shifted to an unexpected scene: Édouard Mendy’s towel became an unlikely protagonist.

The towel, the chaos, and Senegal’s anger

As the Lions of Teranga goalkeeper tried to dry his gloves in the rain, several Moroccan ball boys and two home players, Ismael Saibari and Achraf Hakimi, attempted to prevent Mendy from retrieving his towel.

Backup goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf had to intervene, shielding the towel and fleeing down the touchline under pressure, even being knocked to the ground in the process. The footage quickly went viral, sparking widespread criticism over what was viewed as unsportsmanlike behavior on the biggest stage of the tournament.

A personal apology to close the wound

Days later, the incident took an unexpected turn. On Tuesday, it emerged that Ismael Saibari, the PSV midfielder, personally visited Senegal’s team hotel to apologize to Édouard Mendy.

The gesture, captured on video, was widely seen as a sincere attempt to ease tensions and close an uncomfortable chapter that had overshadowed an already controversial final.

A stain on a historic final

The towel incident added to a final already marked by refereeing decisions, threats of a walk-off, and tension pushed to the limit. Although Senegal ultimately lifted the trophy after extra time, the episode left an unusual and troubling image for a match of such magnitude.

Saibari’s apology helps bring closure, but the scene is now part of AFCON 2025 history as one of its most awkward and widely discussed moments.

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