Can Maroc-2025 : De Mané à Sonko, la naissance d’un Sénégal décomplexé, selon le consultant, Tahir Ndiaye
The final of the Africa Cup of Nations, played in Morocco and won by Senegal, will remain one of those moments when football ceases to be a simple game to become a political, social and symbolic revealer.
Beyond the sporting result, this extremely intense encounter produced powerful images, destined to be permanently etched in the collective memory.
According to consultant Tahir Ndiaye, the attitude of Sadio Mané, an icon of African football and a universally respected figure, has made a lasting impression.
"Faced with the hostility of more than 70,000 Moroccan supporters, as the tension reached its peak, the Senegalese striker called on his teammates to remain united, focused and impervious to pressure, urging them to return to the pitch to fight, with dignity, against what they perceived as an injustice," he said.
For the consultant, this scene is reminiscent of another image, deeply rooted in the recent memory of Senegal.
"That of Ousmane Sonko, four years earlier, trapped in the Soumbédioune tunnel: windows of his car smashed, hostile crowd, security forces in a lockdown position. There too, a man motionless, fixed gaze, rigid posture, almost disconcerting calm, refusing to give in to fear and provocation," recalls Mr. Ndiaye.
Two radically different contexts, sport and politics, but a surprisingly similar stance: that of refusing to give in, of self-control as an act of resistance.
The final itself was a condensed drama. The Moroccan penalty, laden with the weight of the host nation, was saved by Édouard Mendy. Then came the explosion of tension, the Senegalese relief, before Pape Gueye's decisive, powerful, and furious shot. Between these moments, the image of coach Pape Thiaw, passionately urging his players on, contrasted sharply with Sadio Mané's call for calm and composure, at a moment when everything could have changed. These scenes resonated far beyond the world of football. They highlighted a confident, self-assured Senegalese youth, no longer hesitating to pursue their ambitions, whether on the football pitch or in the civic sphere. "A youth that acts, decides, and moves forward without inhibition," affirms Tahir Ndiaye.
According to him, the reactions of the African press, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, confirm this interpretation. The comments have been largely positive, sometimes even admiring, highlighting not only Senegal's sporting performance, but also the mental maturity and collective strength displayed in a particularly hostile environment.
"It would be difficult to completely separate this sporting dynamic from the recent political context. The struggle led by PASTEF, which brought about a new regime in April 2024, has contributed to shaping a more demanding national consciousness, attached to dignity, ethics and sovereignty. This victory at the AFCON is therefore not just another trophy in the cabinet of Senegalese football. It appears as a signal, a collective affirmation, even a promise. That of a country which, in sport as in politics, is learning to make calm, self-control and determination weapons in the face of adversity," he insists.
"Sometimes, football says what speeches struggle to express. This final told the story of a Senegal standing tall, confident and now impossible to ignore," recalls the international consultant.
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Commentaires (17)
C est quoi le rapport entre sadio et un violeur ?
Sans rancune grand.
Autant sadio est valeureux dans son domaine, le sport.
Pour autant il ne peut être comparé à Sonko.
Ce dernier est mille fois plus valeureux et impactant pour le pays .
BAYILENE DI DIAY SONKO WALA DIKO NAKH
us
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