Calm in the Storm: Sadio Mane’s leadership defines 2025 AFCON

The 2025 AFCON final at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat will be remembered for many things, the deafening roar of 66,000 fans, the high-stakes tension of a Morocco-Senegal showdown, and the shocking chaos that nearly derailed it all. 

But above the fray, one image stands tall, Sadio Mane, the heartbeat of Senegal, standing alone on the pitch while his world dissolved into fury.

Deep into the eighth minute of stoppage time, with the score locked at 0-0, the game spiraled into a nightmare. 

Senegal had a goal disallowed, followed immediately by a highly controversial VAR penalty awarded to Morocco after a challenge on Brahim Díaz. 

Incensed, the Senegalese bench, led by coach Pape Thiaw, ordered the team to walk off. 

It was a moment of peak emotional volatility that threatened to disgrace the continent’s flagship event. 

Yet, Mane refused to let the heat of the moment burn down his legacy. 

While teammates stormed toward the tunnel, he stayed behind, consulting officials and veterans like El Hadji Diouf. 

He then went into the dressing room to rally his squad, famously stating he would rather lose the game with pride than abandon the spirit of football.

This was not just about a trophy, it was a masterclass in elite mentality. 

Mane understands a truth many of us struggle with, anger is a secondary emotion that masks a loss of control. 

When we let anger drive our decisions, whether in a boardroom or a personal dispute, we surrender our power. By choosing calmness, Mane reclaimed control. 

His composure was so infectious that it steadied the nerves of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who returned to save Díaz’s audacious Panenka penalty, ultimately allowing Senegal to clinch their second title in extra time.

There is a profound lesson here for our daily lives. Success is rarely a straight line, it is often interrupted by perceived injustices and refereeing errors in our own careers. 

The temptation to walk off the pitch when things feel unfair is immense. 

However, Mane teaches us that integrity is a choice made in the storm, not the calm. 

Even coach Pape Thiaw, who later apologized for his reaction, has much to learn from his captain. 

Leadership is not about matching the aggression of the crowd, it is about being the thermostat that sets the temperature of the room. 

As we navigate our own finals, let us remember Mane.

Manage your anger, respect the process even when, it is flawed, and never give up. 

The world does not just remember who won, it remembers who stood tall when the world fell apart.