Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye has addressed his team’s brief walk-off during the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, calling it a human error that was quickly corrected.
Speaking on French television on Sunday, January 25, Gueye reflected on the tense and controversial 1–0 extra-time victory in Rabat, which saw him score the winning goal for the Lions.
The incident occurred late in regulation when Morocco was awarded a penalty, prompting Senegal’s players to leave the pitch in protest, delaying the match for around 20 minutes.
“We are only human, we realised our mistake and came back out,” Gueye said. “Anyone can make a mistake.”
When play resumed, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Gueye later struck the decisive goal in extra time to secure Senegal’s triumph. “He found the right thing to say at the right moment, and it shows just how important he is to us. We owe him a big thank you,” Gueye added, praising his teammates’ composure.
The midfielder also expressed surprise at Diaz’s audacious Panenka-style attempt during such a critical moment. “It was daring, and I would not have risked that myself,” he said.
Senegal had also seen a goal disallowed earlier for what many considered a soft foul, which had heightened tensions and contributed to the walk-off.
Following the final, the Moroccan Football Federation referred both Senegal’s walk-off and the behaviour of some supporters to CAF and FIFA for review, though Gueye emphasized that the team had acted promptly to correct their error.
