Football legend Thierry Henry has stated that officiating during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final contributed to the events at the stadium. Henry indicated that poor officiating decisions frequently lead to controversial reactions from players and fans.
He specifically cited the decision to disallow Ismaila Sarr’s goal and the subsequent award of a last-minute penalty to Brahim Díaz as factors that, in his view, angered the Teranga Lions players, prompting them to attempt a walk-off. Henry commented, "The referees are not at the level of the show. All the stuff that happened in those tournaments sometimes is caused by referee mistakes. And I’m not blaming the referee, I’m blaming the people that are not training them to be at the level of the football we’re watching."
However, Henry also criticized the Senegalese players’ attempt to boycott the match, stating it did not demonstrate sportsmanship.
The 2025 AFCON final was characterized by various controversies. Following these events, CAF has suspended Senegalese head coach Pape Thiaw, and full investigations are ongoing.