• The match extended into extra time after the missed penalty before the Senegalese team secured the title, while Morocco failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in its history, after its sole victory in 1976.

Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy settled the controversy over the penalty missed by Morocco’s Ibrahim Díaz in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, firmly denying any prior agreement between the two players.

The final between Morocco and Senegal featured a controversial moment when the referee awarded a penalty to the “Atlas Lions” in the 10th minute of stoppage time. Ibrahim Díaz stepped up to take it amid angry protests from Senegalese players, some of whom briefly left the pitch before returning.

Mendy saved the penalty after Díaz’s shot was relatively easy, sparking speculation on social media about a possible secret agreement between the players to calm tensions on the field.

In a decisive response, Mendy told French radio Monte Carlo jokingly: "Do you really think we’d agree a minute before the end of a match the whole country has been waiting for 50 years?"

The Senegal goalkeeper added: "Let’s be serious, Díaz tried to score, I did my job and saved the ball—that’s all there is to it."

The match went into extra time following the missed penalty, after which Senegal claimed the title, while Morocco missed the chance to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in history, following its only triumph in 1976.