Towel affair at AFCON 2025: Hervé Renard reveals the story behind the controversy

February 15, 2026 / Billboard Lifestyle /

Hervé Renard revisits the towel controversy at AFCON 2025

Hervé Renard, former coach of Morocco, has lifted the veil on the towel incident that captured attention during the AFCON 2025 final between Morocco and Senegal.

Four weeks after the AFCON 2025 final, the towel affair is still making headlines. Former Morocco boss Hervé Renard has tried to shed light on the controversy. Speaking on the Colinterview podcast, the Frenchman—who has managed Ghana, Zambia, Angola, Ivory Coast, and USM Alger—explained that the attempts to steal the equipment of Edouard Mendy, the Senegalese goalkeeper, were far from trivial.

According to Renard, these actions are rooted in beliefs that the towel holds mystical powers. “People who don’t know Africa simply can’t understand the real reason behind the towel. There’s something special about it. If someone tried to take it, it was to disrupt things. People in Europe don’t get it. But there’s meaning behind the towel. (…) Was it blessed? (…) In the end, these are beliefs, and they matter in Africa. Everyone sees it their own way, but I’ll say it: it wasn’t just about taking a towel.” he said.

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