Senegal's reserve goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf became an unlikely hero during their Afcon final victory, humorously sharing a photo of his winners' medal and the team towel. Diouf, an unused substitute in Rabat, spent the 120 minutes protecting his teammate's towel from Morocco's ball boys and flag bearers in torrential conditions.

The match descended into chaos after Senegal temporarily refused to play, protesting a disallowed goal and a controversial penalty awarded to Morocco. Sadio Mane convinced his team to return, but Brahim Diaz missed the resulting spot-kick with a bizarre Panenka attempt. The delay lasted 17 minutes.

Diouf's Instagram post, featuring a love-struck emoji, poked fun at his extreme role. FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the 'ugly scenes,' while Senegal secured their second continental crown in five years. The towel antics, first seen in the semi-final, became a surreal subplot to the dramatic final.