Senegal are heading into this summer’s World Cup carrying both confidence and controversy after a year marked by dramatic victories, legal disputes and growing expectations.
The West African nation arrives at the tournament still embroiled in a dispute over the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, but former forward El Hadji Diouf believes the team’s recent experiences have prepared them perfectly for football’s biggest stage.
Senegal’s AFCON campaign ended in extraordinary fashion earlier this year. During the final, with the match still goalless, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded a stoppage-time penalty following a video assistant referee review of Malick Diouf’s challenge on Brahim Diaz.
The decision triggered a protest from Senegal, whose coach Pape Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch. The game was halted for 16 minutes before former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane led the team back out to continue the contest.
When play resumed, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Diaz’s penalty. Senegal then secured victory in extra time thanks to a goal from Pape Gueye.
However, the celebrations were short-lived. Two months later, the Confederation of African Football’s appeal board stripped Senegal of the title following the protest. Despite the ruling, Senegal paraded the trophy before a friendly match against Peru later that month.
The matter remains unresolved and is due to be considered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
As a result, Senegal currently head into the World Cup officially recognised as AFCON runners-up, although that status is not one readily accepted by many supporters in the country.
For Diouf, the continental tournament served as ideal preparation for the challenges ahead.
“AFCON was the warm-up for the World Cup. We know we’re so good,” he exclusively told Sky Sports at a PUMA launch event for Senegal’s World Cup kit.
“People know Senegal is not just a good team – it’s an institution of football now.
“We have wonderful players, a wonderful group and the whole continent supporting us because we have players who play not for Senegal only, but play for the whole continent week after week, like Sadio Mane, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly.
“Now they have to be a machine and they have to be ready for all tournaments. I know mentally, we’re ready to play any competition.”
Senegal’s ambitions for the World Cup are substantial. Rather than simply reaching the knockout stages, Diouf believes the team can challenge for a place among the final four.
“Going to the World Cup for us now, it’s normal. At this World Cup, we have an objective – we want to reach the semi-final. We have big players, we have a good group and we won the Africa Cup of Nations.
“We leave it all in the hands of CAS and we’re going to see what happens. I think the whole world has been shocked for that decision, but that’s life. Senegal believes of the seriousness of the football of the world and of FIFA.”
Recent results have strengthened belief that Senegal can compete with the world’s elite nations.
In June, Thiaw’s side defeated England 3-1 at Wembley before recording a 2-0 away victory against Brazil. Taken together, those wins have helped establish Senegal as one of the most respected teams entering the competition.
The team’s best World Cup performance remains the quarter-final run achieved during their debut appearance in 2002. That campaign began with one of the tournament’s most memorable upsets as Senegal defeated reigning champions France 1-0.
Remarkably, history appears to have provided a familiar challenge. Senegal’s opening fixture at this year’s tournament is also against France, who arrive as runners-up from the World Cup in Qatar.
Diouf, who featured in the famous victory over France in 2002, recalled the significance of that occasion.
“We beat the best team of the world with Zinedine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu, Fabian Barthez.
“They used to be the World Cup winners, they used to be European Cup winners, but winning against big teams is not always about having talent. It’s about everything coming from your heart.”
The former striker believes that experience can inspire the current generation.
“That game [against France] we know is a massive game. The whole Senegalese community is waiting for the victory of Senegal like in 2002.
“What do you say to our boys? You can do it. If you beat Brazil, if you beat England in England, you can beat any team. It’s all about belief.”
While much attention has focused on France, Diouf also acknowledged the challenge posed by the other teams in Senegal’s group.
“We also know Norway have a good team and we’re going to respect them. But we’re going to play the same style of game we played in the Africa Cup of Nations – keeping the ball, working hard and try to score goals.”
Beyond the immediate ambitions of the senior team, Diouf believes Senegal’s rise has been built on years of investment in youth development and domestic academies.
He pointed to the increasing number of national-team players who have progressed through football systems within Senegal itself, rather than developing elsewhere.
“I can only talk for my country, because when we used to lose a lot, people used to laugh at us.
“But we used to work behind [the scenes] on the academies. Today, you see the Senegalese national team, most of the boys are coming from Senegal, they used to play for the academies in Senegal.
“These players are used to playing with each other for the last 15 years and that’s why we are so successful.”
Diouf also highlighted the emerging generation of players coming through the country’s youth ranks, expressing confidence that Senegal’s progress can continue well into the future.
“We just want to show the world how good we are everywhere. People are talking about our first team, but if you see our U17s, U18s, U20s, some day they can come and play for the first team.
“And why not be the first African team to get to play the final of the World Cup? If they put that on their mind, they can do it.”
As Senegal prepare to begin another World Cup campaign, they do so carrying the momentum of major victories, the uncertainty of an unresolved legal battle and the belief that they can challenge the sport’s traditional powers.
For Diouf, the message is simple: Senegal’s ambitions extend far beyond participation, and the nation believes its best chapter may still lie ahead.
