Just hours before unveiling his final 26-man squad for the tournament, the Lions of Teranga coach delivered a strong message about the mentality he expects from his players ahead of football’s biggest competition.
Speaking to SNA, Thiaw stressed that Senegal must not be afraid to dream of major success on the global stage.
“We must dream of the sky, if we don’t have the sky, we’ll have the stars. We must dream big,” he said.
The Senegal coach underlined that belief, hard work and unity within the squad would be essential if the team hopes to compete with the world’s top nations.
At the same time, Thiaw warned against arrogance despite Senegal’s growing reputation in international football following strong performances in recent years.
“We are not pretentious at all, we are just ambitious. We want to go very far in competitions, but in any competition, you have to take it one game at a time,” he explained.
According to the coach, careful preparation and concentration will be vital if Senegal are to enjoy another successful World Cup campaign.
Thiaw believes the team must remain methodical and composed throughout the tournament while approaching each match with maximum focus.
Attention is now turning toward the official squad announcement, with supporters eager to see the final group selected for the competition in North America.
Senegal have been drawn into a challenging group alongside France national football team, Norway national football team and Iraq national football team.
The Lions of Teranga are expected to target qualification from the group stage before attempting to make a deep run in the tournament.
Thiaw’s comments have now made clear that Senegal intend to approach the World Cup with confidence and belief, while remaining fully aware of the level of challenge awaiting them on the global stage.
