Story byCAN 2025: Mali's unfortunate record!Foot AfricaTue, January 13, 2026 at 8:35 AM UTC·2 min readMali's unfortunate record at CAN 2025Mali/@standardMali holds a somber record in this 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025). Known for their attacking style, the Eagles played against their nature in the tournament, opting for a highly defensive approach that did not complement their technical skills. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 1972 CAN finalists, Mali not only delivered a technically lackluster brand of football, but also racked up a significant number of yellow and red cards. According to statistics from Transfermarkt, the Malian team is the least fair-play side of CAN 2025, with a tally of 14 yellow cards and 3 red cards. To recap, the Eagles exited the tournament through the back door after a narrow quarter-final defeat to Senegal. CAN fair-play rankingMozambique – 4 yellow cards, 0 red cardsGabon – 4 yellow cards, 0 red cardsBotswana – 4 yellow cards, 0 red cardsComoros – 4 yellow cards, 0 red cardsDR Congo – 5 yellow cards, 0 red cardsAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAngola – 6 yellow cards, 0 red cardsZimbabwe – 7 yellow cards, 0 red cardsIvory Coast – 7 yellow cards, 0 red cardsZambia – 7 yellow cards, 0 red cardsBurkina Faso – 7 yellow cards, 0 red cardsMorocco – 8 yellow cards, 0 red cardsTunisia – 8 yellow cards, 0 red cardsSudan – 6 yellow cards, 1 red cardTanzania – 10 yellow cards, 0 red cardsCameroon – 11 yellow cards, 0 red cardsAlgeria – 11 yellow cards, 0 red cardsSouth Africa – 11 yellow cards, 0 red cardsUganda – 6 yellow cards, 1 red cardNigeria – 12 yellow cards, 0 red cardsEquatorial Guinea – 7 yellow cards, 1 red cardEgypt – 10 yellow cards, 1 red cardBenin – 13 yellow cards, 0 red cardsSenegal – 10 yellow cards, 1 red cardMali – 14 yellow cards, 3 red cards.
