Mane Shines in Senegal’s Victory, Brahim Faces Setback

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations wrapped up this weekend with an unforgettable final.

Senegal triumphed over Morocco, claiming their second continental title. However, Morocco’s quest for a first AFCON victory in 50 years continues after a dramatic finish in Rabat.

Now that the tournament has ended, it’s time to present the AFCON awards.

Moment of the Tournament

There’s one moment that stands out. Have we ever seen a major final conclude like this?

The tense final seemed destined for extra time after a hard-fought draw in Rabat. In the 91st minute, Senegal had a goal ruled out due to a foul by Abdoulaye Seck on Achraf Hakimi, though many felt Hakimi exaggerated minimal contact.

Four minutes later, Morocco was awarded a penalty after Brahim Diaz fell in the box due to a challenge from El Hadji Malick Diouf. VAR intervened, and the referee reversed his decision, awarding the penalty.

Senegal’s players protested and briefly left the field, but Sadio Mane encouraged them to return. Diaz then missed the penalty after a 24-minute break, attempting a Panenka that Edouard Mendy anticipated.

90+ 13 | 🇲🇦𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄

Panenka stopped! Brahim Díaz fails to beat the keeper#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 #UBCAFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/bpBkmbKSyg

— UBC UGANDA (@ubctvuganda) January 18, 2026

After that, Senegal surged ahead and won in extra time. Diaz, visibly upset, was substituted early in the added period.

This was the defining moment of the tournament.

Player of the Tournament

Diaz’s penalty miss overshadowed his performance, even though he had been a key player for Morocco in reaching the final.

Sadio Mane was named Player of the Tournament, a decision that’s hard to argue against. Mane scored twice, including a crucial goal in the semi-final against Egypt, and was pivotal in Senegal’s final victory and their return to the pitch.

Sadio Mané. Legend. 🏆🇸🇳👏 pic.twitter.com/nBSp8fiZMj

— PFA (@PFA) January 18, 2026

The 33-year-old has achieved incredible milestones, boasting two AFCON titles and two Player of the Tournament awards.

Best Young Player

Ibrahim Maza was one of the players to watch and he didn’t disappoint. At just 20, Maza was making strides at Bayer Leverkusen with six goals and assists prior to the tournament.

Starting from the bench, he impacted the opening win against Sudan with a goal. After grabbing a starting position, he delivered a standout performance against Burkina Faso and contributed a goal and assist in the final group match against Equatorial Guinea.

🇩🇿 Ibrahim Maza 🤩

The future of Algerian football 🌟 pic.twitter.com/2BFWAQrLiE

— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC) December 28, 2025

Although Algeria’s journey ended in the quarter-finals against Nigeria, Maza showed he could be a future star.

Best Goal

Ayoub El Kaabi’s acrobatic goal, featuring overhead kicks throughout the tournament, earned him the Best Goal award. His first goal in the tournament was a remarkable effort from the Olympiacos striker.

When acrobatics meet precision. ⚡

Ayoub El Kaabi delivers the Goal of the Day with a bicycle kick. ⚽🇲🇦#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 | @1xBet_Eng pic.twitter.com/ubvfbMs0LE

— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 21, 2025

Best Game

The defending champions Ivory Coast staged a thrilling comeback to defeat Gabon in a high-scoring group stage match.

Down 2-0 early on, the Ivory Coast pulled one back through Jean-Philippe Krasso. The match was tight until Evann Guessand equalized with just six minutes remaining. Bazoumana Toure then scored a diving header to win the match, sending Ivory Coast through as group leaders.