The AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal on January 18, 2026, will be remembered not only for its refereeing controversies and Senegal's historic victory, but also for one of the most surreal scenes in African football history: the battle for goalkeeper Edouard Mendy's towel.
Throughout the match, played in pouring rain at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Moroccan ball boys, and even players like captain Achraf Hakimi and midfielder Ismael Saibari, repeatedly attempted to steal or discard Mendy's towel. The situation escalated to the point where backup goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf was assigned as the towel's personal bodyguard, at one point being physically tackled to the ground by ball boys trying to seize it.
To understand this bizarre behavior, one must delve into a deeply rooted aspect of African football culture: the belief in maraboutage, a form of spiritual practice involving marabouts (spiritual leaders) that many believe can influence match outcomes through mystical means.
Several African football federations have had to officially address these practices. The Rwandan Football Federation, for instance, was compelled to formally ban witchcraft after referees repeatedly had to stop matches to deal with gris-gris (protective amulets or charms) found on the pitch. The federation's secretary general acknowledged that "simply seeing gris-gris destabilizes opposing teams and players." Similarly, Senegal has banned maraboutage practices around stadiums, and CAF considers the use of black magic harmful to African football's image.
Goalkeeper towels have become particularly associated with these beliefs. According to FIFA's Law 1, goalposts must be fixed with a goal net that should not carry anything on it, meaning towels technically should not be placed near the goal area. While most referees don't strictly enforce this rule, it provides a regulatory basis for the controversy.
The belief is that towels can be infused with substances or blessed by marabouts to protect the goal or bring luck. Even without any actual substance, the mere presence of a towel can psychologically destabilize opponents who are aware of these practices. The Moroccan players, well-versed in these traditions, may have been acting on this psychological dimension rather than any confirmed use of mystical practices by the Senegalese.
This wasn't an isolated incident. During Morocco's semi-final against Nigeria, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali faced identical towel removal attempts, with security personnel and ball boys repeatedly stealing his towels. After Morocco's final defeat, Nwabali sarcastically offered: "You can use all my towels to wipe your tears."
African football history is filled with documented cases of mystical practices. During the 2017 U20 AFCON final between Senegal and Zambia, Senegalese player Ibrahima Ndiaye was caught placing a gris-gris in the Zambian goal during a stoppage. The Zambian goalkeeper spotted it immediately and alerted the referee.
Perhaps the most famous case involves former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, who claimed he broke a 30-year title drought by urinating on the Anfield goalposts, following a marabout's instructions from 1990. The Zimbabwean keeper admitted to filling a water bottle with his urine and spreading it on the posts during a match.
A prominent Moroccan politician added fuel to the fire by publicly accusing Senegal of using voodoo before Brahim Diaz's penalty kick, which Mendy spectacularly saved with a panenka attempt. Videos circulating on social media allegedly showed a Senegalese staff member pouring liquid on the pitch before the match, though this has not been officially verified.
The towel incident highlights the complex intersection of sports, culture, and belief systems in African football. Whether one views these practices as superstition or genuine spiritual influence, their psychological impact is undeniable. Players who believe their opponents are using mystical means can become distracted, anxious, or lose focus, which may be the real "magic" at play.
Yehvann Diouf, the towel's unlikely hero, later posted a photo on Instagram showing himself with his winner's medal and the contested towel, writing simply: "There she is." For him, it was just a towel for drying gloves and face. For others, it represented something far more mysterious.
The incident serves as a reminder that in African football, the battle is sometimes fought not just on the pitch, but in the realm of beliefs and perceptions that have been part of the continent's sporting culture for generations.
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