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Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has said his team has moved on from the controversy surrounding January’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final and is fully focused on its World Cup opener against France.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Group I encounter at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Thiaw dismissed suggestions that the lingering dispute over the AFCON title could distract his players, stressing that their attention is now on the global tournament.
The coach said the team had prepared well for the World Cup and was concentrating solely on the challenge posed by France.
“I am not going to go back over the AFCON, that’s behind us. This is the World Cup. We have prepared well for it, and we are focused on tomorrow’s match,” Thiaw said.
The controversy stems from the AFCON final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time. During the match, several Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest after a late penalty was awarded to the hosts. Play eventually resumed, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the spot-kick, and Pape Gueye later scored the decisive goal.
Although Senegal celebrated what appeared to be a second continental title, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) later stripped the team of the championship as punishment for the walk-off. Senegal subsequently appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is still awaiting a ruling.
Thiaw, who was part of the Senegal squad that famously defeated France 1-0 at the 2002 World Cup, said a similar result this time would not be considered an upset.
According to him, while France boasts a squad filled with world-class talent and enters the match as favourites, Senegal also possesses a strong pedigree, having won the Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for a third consecutive World Cup.
“It would not be a surprise if we beat a France team with world-class players. France are favourites, but our team has been champions of Africa and we have qualified for a third straight World Cup,” he said.
Senegal will be led by Sadio Mané, who returns to the World Cup at the age of 34 after missing the 2022 tournament due to an injury. Skipper Kalidou Koulibaly, the central defender who was born in France, is fit after a back problem.
