Claude Le Roy reveals what he told Mane during AFCON final pitch walk-off
Former Ghana and Senegal coach Claude Le Roy disclosed that he advised Sadio Mane to continue playing during the AFCON final against Morocco, after the Senegalese team briefly walked off the field on Sunday. The walk-off occurred after referee Jacques Ndala canceled a Senegal goal and awarded a controversial penalty to Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Le Roy was seen speaking with Mane immediately after the incident.
"When the Senegalese team left the pitch, Sadio Mane was alone on the field and he came to me and asked me what I would do if I were in his place," Le Roy told Canal Plus. "I answered, I would have continued playing. I explained to him that the result wasn’t yet decided, then he went to bring his teammates back onto the field."
Senegal eventually clinched the AFCON title with a 1-0 victory, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal in first-half extra time. The incident highlights the intense pressure and split-second decisions players and coaches face in high-stakes continental finals.
Should official protocols be clearer for walk-offs in finals to prevent confusion, or is player instinct the best guide in heated moments?