“We Should Not Have Done It,” Says Emotional Coach, Admitting He Reacted in the Heat of the Moment
In the raw aftermath of leading Senegal to its second Africa Cup of Nations title, coach Pape Thiaw offered a heartfelt public apology for the moment of chaos he instigated, telling his players to walk off the pitch in protest during Sunday’s dramatic final.
The extraordinary scene unfolded in stoppage time of a tense 0-0 match against host nation Morocco. After seeing a potential winning goal controversially disallowed and a penalty immediately awarded to Morocco following a VAR check, an irate Thiaw instructed his team to leave the field.
“We did not agree with the decision, that is all,” Thiaw explained to beIN Sports, his voice carrying the weight of the night’s emotions. “After reflecting, I really did not like the fact that I told my players to leave the pitch. I apologise to football.”
The 44-year-old coach revealed it was the intervention of veteran captain Sadio Mané, who had consulted with legendary French coach Claude Le Roy, that prompted a change of heart. Thiaw recalled his players, and the match resumed after a delay of nearly 20 minutes.
“Sometimes you can react in the heat of the moment,” Thiaw admitted. “We asked ourselves whether that penalty could have been given if our goal before that had been allowed. But now we accept the referee’s mistakes… We should not have done it, but it is already done. We apologise.”
His apology did not shield him from criticism. Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui—with whom Thiaw exchanged heated words after the final whistle—called the walk-off “shameful” and declared it “does not honour Africa.”
Despite the controversy, Thiaw’s decision to publicly shoulder the blame marks a moment of personal accountability on African football’s biggest stage. His team, having regained its composure, weathered the saved penalty and went on to win 1-0 in extra time, securing the championship.
“I brought them back,” Thiaw said, concluding a turbulent chapter in an otherwise glorious campaign. The trophy is headed to Dakar, but the memory of the walk-off—and the coach’s sincere regret—will remain part of the final’s complex legacy.
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