Iliman Ndiaye insists Senegal remain the champions of Africa despite CAF stripping them of the 2025 Afcon trophy after a protest incident. The Teranga Lions defeated Morocco 1-0 in extra time at the January final, but several players walked off when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a late penalty to North Africa. The 26-year-old midfielder told Newsday the legal battle over the trophy will not disturb the squad's World Cup preparations.

A CAF appeals board ruled on 17 March that Senegal breached tournament regulations by leaving the pitch without permission. Morocco received the title. Senegal's football federation appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has yet to rule. The team paraded the Afcon trophy before a friendly against Peru on 28 March, just 11 days after the decision. Ndiaye described the fallout as not a good look for African football.

Sadio Mane stayed on the pitch and raced to the dressing room to bring teammates back. After returning, they finished the match. Edouard Mendy saved Brahim Diaz's Panenka-style penalty before Pape Gueye scored the winner. Ndiaye said the whole incident, from protest to trophy parade to title stripping, is hard to accept. He insists the referee's decision on the pitch should stand. Senegal face France, Norway and Iraq in Group I at the 2026 World Cup, and Ndiaye says the same focus and hunger from Afcon will carry into the tournament.