Senegal captain Sadio Mané has reportedly refused a request from CAF to return his 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Player of the Tournament award.Mané stated that he earned the trophy “on the pitch, not in the boardroom.”
The move follows CAF’s controversial decision to strip Senegal of the team title and award it to Morocco, with plans to reassign the individual MVP to Morocco’s Brahim Díaz. According to several media reports, has refused to return the MVP trophy, a move that has been met with immediate and strong defiance from Senegal.
The celebrated forward reportedly stated that both the individual award and the Africa Cup trophy are being held securely at a military base in Senegal, underscoring the victory’s profound national significance.The Senegalese Football Federation has also responded forcefully, announcing its intention to appeal CAF’s decisions at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
