Senegal coach appeals to Sadio Mané not to make this Africa Cup his last

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has appealed for star forward Sadio Mané to reconsider his decision to make this Africa Cup of Nations his last.

Mané, the two-time African Footballer of the Year, is playing in his sixth Africa Cup and fired Senegal into the final by scoring for a 1-0 win over Egypt in the semifinals. The 33-year-old Mané told journalists after that match that this will be his last Africa Cup.

Thiaw said Saturday that he hopes Mané will listen to the will of the Senegalese people.

“There’s a nation behind him. This nation would like to see him continue because he made this decision in the heat of the moment. And the country doesn’t agree,” Thiaw said a day before Senegal faces host nation Morocco for the decider. “And I, as the coach, don’t agree at all. We’d like to keep him as long as possible.”

Mané led Senegal to the 2021 Africa Cup title and has been leading the team at this edition with captain Kalidou Koulibaly suspended for one game earlier in the tournament and again for Sunday’s final.

Mané’s goal against Egypt was his 11th altogether in the Africa Cup. He has also set up nine more.

“He’s a legend. Everywhere. For Africa. He represents Africa, he represents the world. He’s an example! We need people like him in this life. He teaches life lessons, his resilience, his education, and how he gives his all for Senegal,” Thiaw said. “He gave his life so we could win this tournament (in 2021), so we could get our first star.”

Thiaw said he doesn’t want to see Mané leave, “and his teammates don’t either.”

Defender Moussa Niakhaté said he didn’t have enough time to explain what Mané represents for Senegalese and African soccer.

“What defines Sadio is hard work, love for his country. And as he declared after the match against Egypt, this will be his last Africa Cup game, his sixth Africa Cup, so it shows his longevity and consistency,” Niakhaté said before Senegal goes for its second title. “We owe it to him to bring him back that second star.”

Mané still has the World Cup to come before he quits the national team. The Teranga Lions have been drawn in a group with France, Norway and then a playoff winner between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq.

AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations

Senegal's Sadio Mane, left, is challenged by Egypt's Hossam Abdelmaguid during the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal soccer match between Senegal and Egypt, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Sadio Mane, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal soccer match between Senegal and Egypt, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Sadio Mane, and Egypt's Mohamed Hany, right, vie for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal soccer match between Senegal and Egypt, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's head coach Pape Thiaw celebrates at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal soccer match between Senegal and Egypt, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Senegal's Sadio Mane celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal soccer match between Senegal and Egypt, in Tangier, Morocco, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL will honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by displaying “Choose Love” in the end zones and on helmet decals for all divisional round playoff games this weekend.

“Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” will appear on opposite end zones at the Super Bowl next month. Host teams will select the end zone stencils for the conference championship games.

“Dr. King’s message continues to guide how we show up in meaningful moments across the league,” said Anna Isaacson, SVP of social responsibility for the NFL. "'Choose Love’ has become an important and widely embraced message for our teams because it reflects the values Dr. King championed — dignity, empathy, and a commitment to our shared humanity. Bringing it forward in the Divisional Round and again at Super Bowl LX reflects that continued relevance.”

“Choose Love” was first introduced in 2022 when the Bills adopted it as a unifying message for their community after a shooting in Buffalo. NFL teams have widely embraced the stencil, and it was featured at the Super Bowl last year following an attack in New Orleans.

The NFL has used on-field social justice messaging for the past six seasons. Teams featured an end zone message of their choice at each home game throughout the season, selecting from four options: “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love” or “Inspire Change.” “It Takes All of Us” was stenciled in the opposite end zone for all games.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - The word's "Choose Love" are displayed in the end zone at AT&T Stadium before a NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)