Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Sadio Mane set record straight over Saudi league after AFCON triumph with Senegal
Sadio Mané captained Senegal to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title with a dramatic final victory over Morocco. After lifting the trophy, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate used the moment to push back against criticism of the Saudi Pro League.
The 2025 AFCON final proved unforgettable, with Senegal nearly walking off the pitch following a controversial late penalty awarded to Morocco. It was Mané who urged his teammates to continue after Brahim Díaz’s spot kick was saved in stoppage time by Édouard Mendy, before Pape Gueye sealed the title in extra time with a stunning strike into the top corner.
Individually, Díaz finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, while Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou was named Best Goalkeeper. The Al Hilal star delivered several decisive saves throughout the final, including a remarkable one-on-one stop against Iliman Ndiaye in the first half.
Mané was named Player of the Tournament, and he used his post-match interview to highlight the growing stature of the Saudi league. “I was crowned the best player of the tournament while playing in the Saudi league. And Yassine Bounou won the Best Goalkeeper award, and he is also a player in the Saudi league,” he highlighted.
“This proves beyond any doubt that the Saudi league today is classified among the strongest and best leagues in the world,” Mané added. His comments echoed similar remarks made by Cristiano Ronaldo in recent months, but this time they were reinforced by decisive performances on the international stage rather than club competition alone.
It is also worth noting that Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, who made several key saves throughout the tournament and denied Díaz from the penalty spot in the final, currently plays in Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli. With Ronaldo recently telling Piers Morgan that scoring in Saudi Arabia is harder than in Spain’s La Liga, the debate surrounding the Saudi Pro League’s global ranking has once again gained momentum.
Mané and the decision to continue the match
The most tense moment of the final arrived in the 95th minute when El Hadji Diouf pulled Brahim Díaz from behind while defending a corner kick. After a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, a decision that sparked outrage within the Senegal camp, with head coach Pape Thiaw initially instructing his players to leave the field in protest.
As uncertainty surrounded whether the match would continue, Mané stepped in and convinced his teammates to return to the pitch and see the game through. The decision ultimately proved decisive, as Senegal regrouped, survived the penalty scare, and went on to lift the AFCON trophy once again.
Reflecting on the moment in his post-match interview, Mané explained why he felt it was important to keep playing: “Because the referee can make a mistake, it’s not fair to judge him. And most importantly, I did it for the people in the whole world, they wanted to watch the game.“