The individual accolades for AFCON 2025 were dominated by Sadio Mané, who secured his second Player of the Tournament award, while Brahim Díaz took the Golden Boot despite his dramatic penalty miss in the final.
Following Senegal’s hard-fought victory over Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, the tournament’s individual honors have been officially bestowed upon the standout performers of the competition.
Sadio Mané was named Player of the Tournament for the second time in his illustrious career, with the 33-year-old recording two goals and three assists across six matches to lead the Lions of Teranga to their second continental crown.
Beyond his statistical contributions, Mané was lauded for his veteran leadership during the final’s chaotic stoppage-time period, notably heading down the tunnel to persuade his teammates to return to the pitch after their protest against a Moroccan penalty.
Morocco’s Brahim Díaz claimed the Puma Golden Boot as the top scorer with five goals in six games, a tally that remained frozen after his last-minute “Panenka” attempt was saved by Edouard Mendy.
Meanwhile, the Golden Glove for Best Goalkeeper was awarded to Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, who maintained five clean sheets throughout the tournament.
The ceremony capped off a bizarre and high-stakes final in Rabat, described by observers as a “bizarre affair involving crowd clashes, both coaches on the pitch, and Senegal threatening to walk-off,” yet it ultimately served to cement Mané’s legacy.
The winger “showed his sportsmanship and leadership in the final, calling on his players to resume the game after they left the pitch in protest.”