The can 2025 final controversy: Senegal vs Morocco appeal continues

Nearly three months after the event, the CAN 2025 final remains a subject of intense debate. On January 18th in Rabat, Senegal initially secured a 1-0 victory against Morocco following extra time. However, on March 17th, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) controversially reversed this outcome, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win by forfeit.

The CAF appeal jury justified its decision by invoking articles 82 and 84 of the regulations, which state that a team leaving the field or refusing to resume play is automatically declared the loser. This interpretation has been strongly challenged by the Senegalese Football Federation, which has since escalated the matter to the Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS) in an effort to overturn the verdict.

While awaiting the crucial TAS ruling, Edouard Mendy has broken his silence to champion the stance of the Lions of Teranga. During an appearance on the Saudi podcast Mo Show Prod, the Al-Hilal goalkeeper provided his account of events, directly contradicting the accusations of collective abandonment put forth by the Moroccan side.

Mendy, who emerged as a hero in the final by saving Brahim Diaz’s penalty, emphasized a critical detail. “People were claiming we all left the pitch during the final, but that’s simply not true. There were still players on the field. It’s extremely important to clarify this,” he stated.

Edouard Mendy defends Senegal’s position in can final dispute

He further bolstered his argument by referencing the official report from referee Jean-Jacques Ndala: “And that’s precisely why the referee did not blow the final whistle. His report mentioned that the match was paused for a moment, but not that the team had abandoned the game, because players remained on the field.”

According to the former Chelsea goalkeeper, the game did indeed resume, which he believes invalidates any claim of a forfeit. “The match stopped briefly and then restarted, so from that point, there’s no need to discuss what happened because the game continued until its conclusion. If the entire team had been absent, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today. But that was not the case.”

Nevertheless, this version does not entirely resolve all ambiguities. Reports from Afrik Foot suggest that the official match report, supported by visual evidence, indicates that nearly the entire squad, with the notable exception of Sadio Mané, did leave the pitch for several minutes. This reportedly included Edouard Mendy himself, who was seen among the first to head towards the changing rooms. The conflict of narratives persists as the football world eagerly anticipates the final verdict from the TAS regarding this contentious CAN 2025 final.