Camara: "We Knew It Was a Penalty, But We Left the Field Because the Referee Refused to Review Our Disallowed Goal via VAR!"

Lamine Camara, a player for the Senegalese national team, expressed his immense joy after winning the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, following their one-nil victory over Morocco. He emphasized that the experience of the team's leaders was the most significant factor in securing the championship.

In a media statement, Camara said: "We are very happy. We see that we have a genuine star player. We eagerly look forward to returning to celebrate this with our fans. It was a legendary match, and of course, the most prominent player was Sadio Mané, with an amazing performance and amazing conduct as well."

He added: "Honestly, Sadio, how can I describe him? A legend, as you said, he is indeed a legend. We, the young players, were completely lost, but he was the only one who spoke up and said that we must return to the field. And indeed, he was right; we returned to the pitch, and God granted us the victory."

He continued, speaking about what happened behind the scenes in the dressing room: "Of course, I was in the dressing room. We were among the first to enter, but Sadio came and took us all out, telling us to go out because we would continue the match. We listened to him after that, because when Sadio speaks, everyone listens. And then things went well for us."

Regarding the refereeing controversy, he clarified: "It wasn't about the penalty that made us leave the field, because we knew there was a penalty, and according to the footage, there was indeed a penalty. But the disallowed goal and the referee's refusal to return to VAR to review it is what affected us a little."

He concluded: "As for the penalty, it was a logical decision from the referee, and it was also natural for us not to want to continue playing at that moment. But as I said, Sadio was present, as were the other leaders. They pushed us to go out and return to the field, so we listened to them, and things went well. We are excited to return and celebrate with them."