His absence had been widely commented on. Executive of the Senegalese national team, Krépin Diatta was unable to participate in the CAN 2025 final won by the Lions against Morocco on Sunday January 18 (1-0 ap). Falling ill a few hours before the match kicked off, the 26-year-old right back suffered discomfort during the warm-up and was forced to give up his place to Antoine Mendy.
Coupled with those of Ousseynou Niang and Pape Matar Sarr, who were also suffering, Diatta’s last-minute withdrawal shook Pape Thiaw’s men, who were particularly fired up after winning the title. “A lot of things happened before the match,” Ismail Jakobs denounced in particular in the mixed zone. “I think a lot of stuff will come out after… But you’ll find out. A lot happened to Krépin, Ousseynou and Pape Matar Sarr at halftime. »
“I hurt everywhere”
Silent since this strange episode, Diatta decided to speak to the Senegalese media L’Observateur. “The morning of the match, I didn’t feel very well, but I told myself that it was normal, that it would pass,” he revealed this Thursday. “The problem really started when we were leaving for the stadium. I had pain everywhere, my head, a lot of things. It was very strange,” recalled the AS Monaco player.
Determined to hold his place at all costs, the native of Dakar finally gave up after trying to warm up in the company of his partners, just before the start of the final. What’s next? Hospitalization and total blackout. “I saw practically nothing of the final, apart from a few small videos, notably the goal by Pape Gueye and the missed penalty (by Brahim Diaz),” he confided.
In total, the African champion was treated for 20 hours in hospital. “I took several exams, but they detected nothing,” declared Diatta, released around 10 a.m. the day after the Senegalese coronation, not without having “experienced a fourth bout of illness”. The vagueness surrounding this incredible African Cup final does not seem to be going away anytime soon…
