FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly criticised the actions of some Senegal players, technical staff and supporters after what he described as “unacceptable scenes” overshadowed their dramatic victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco on Sunday.
In a statement sent to AFP, Infantino condemned the decision by several Senegal players to walk off the pitch in protest at a late penalty awarded to Morocco, insisting such behaviour has no place in football.
“We strongly condemn the behaviour of some ‘supporters’ as well as some Senegalese players and technical staff members,” Infantino said.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner. Equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport — it is simply not right.”
Final Disrupted by VAR Decision
African football’s showpiece was thrown into chaos deep into injury time with the score level at 0-0, when Morocco were awarded a penalty following a VAR review for a challenge on Brahim Díaz. Furious at the decision — and still aggrieved after seeing a goal ruled out moments earlier for what appeared to be a soft foul — most of the Senegalese players abandoned the field in protest.
Former Liverpool star Sadio Mané remained on the pitch, appealing to his teammates to return so the match could continue.
Crowd Trouble and Long Delay
Tensions spilled into the stands as some Senegal supporters attempted to enter the pitch and clashed with security personnel. The disturbance caused a delay of nearly 20 minutes before Díaz was finally able to take the spot-kick.
The Real Madrid forward attempted a panenka-style penalty, but his effort was saved by Edouard Mendy, keeping Senegal alive in the contest.
Gueye’s Extra-Time Winner
Senegal ultimately made their reprieve count. In the fourth minute of extra time, Pape Gueye struck a superb winner to seal a 1-0 victory, securing the AFCON title in dramatic fashion despite the controversy that preceded it.
Call for Respect and Disciplinary Action
While congratulating Morocco for a “fantastic tournament” — both as runners-up and hosts, a timely boost ahead of their role as co-hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup — Infantino stressed that teams must respect match officials’ decisions.
“We must always respect the decisions taken by the match officials on and off the field of play,” he said.
“Teams must compete within the Laws of the Game, because anything less puts the very essence of football at risk.”
Infantino added that the scenes sent the wrong message to fans worldwide, particularly with major tournaments on the horizon.
“It is the responsibility of teams and players to act responsibly and set the right example for fans in the stadiums and millions watching around the world,” he said.
“The ugly scenes witnessed today must be condemned and never repeated. They have no place in football, and I expect the relevant disciplinary bodies at CAF to take the appropriate measures.”
