Sadio Mane Gesture Highlights Importance Of Respect
Putting respect barriers around football pitches might be seen by some as window dressing or virtue signalling, but every so often, there is a reminder of just how important respect is in the game, even at times of great tension or controversy.
Never could that have been more so than in the final minute of the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat, where Morocco were awarded a controversial penalty with the score 0-0 after a VAR check.
The Senegal team were incensed and amid chaotic scenes, almost the whole team left the field in protest. There was trouble in the stands as some Senegalese fans tried to storm the pitch and it appeared the game might not finish.
However, one man stood tall and saved the day – Sadio Mane.
The former Liverpool winger refused to leave the field and managed to coax his team-mates back onto the field to restart the game, with the penalty taking place 17 minutes after it was awarded.
Matters then took an even more extraordinary twist when player of the tournament Brahim Diaz attempted a ‘Panenka’ penalty and contrived to gently chip the ball into the arms of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Duly reprieved, Senegal scored the only goal of the game in extra time to secure the trophy.
Why Did Mane Stop The Protest?
Both teams, but especially Senegal, will face disciplinary action after the incident, but Mane’s actions in preventing the fiasco of the match being decided on a forfeit did not just help his country win; they also earned fulsome praise across the football world.
Afterwards, Mane said it would have been “crazy” not to play on and damaging to the image of the game, especially in Africa, adding: “I’d rather lose than this kind of thing happen to our football.”
Such respect for the game is essential at all levels, from major finals featuring big-name players, right down to the grassroots.
This means respect for officials and the decisions they make, which may not always involve VAR, but can still divide opinion.
By prioritising the integrity of the game, Mane showed the respect that was needed to ensure the match was concluded on the field and not in the changing rooms.