Ivorian Apologizes to Wife for Advances on Senegalese Lady During AFCON Live Match

Anselme Santos, an Ivorian man, publicly apologized to his wife and children after being caught on camera asking for a Senegalese lady’s phone number during a live match at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). The incident occurred during the Round 16 match between Senegal and Ivory Coast, making the pictures and videos go viral on January 29.

The viral moment turned into an instant meme, attracting widespread attention. Mr. Santos expressed regret for any distress caused to his family when he appeared with his wife on the popular Ivorian program, Sly de Sly Show, on Wednesday

Acknowledging his lapse in judgment, Santos admitted to trying to woo the lady during the match. Despite asking for her number, he stated that he didn’t insist after she declined. In a statement quoted by Actu Foot, he said, “I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the lady, my wife, and my children.”

Similar candid moments during live football matches are not uncommon. In a comparable incident, Ecuadorian Deyvi Andrade faced repercussions in January 2020 after being caught kissing another woman on the Kiss Cam during a friendly match between Barcelona SC and Delfin in Ecuador.

The Ivorian national team suffered a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in their group stage match and a 1-0 loss to Nigeria in the second leg, leading to the dismissal of coach Jean-Louis Gasset. Despite the challenging group campaign, Ivory Coast secured a spot in the quarter-final by defeating holders Senegal 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

As the host nation, Ivory Coast qualified for the knockout stages as one of the best third-place teams after a disappointing performance in Gro