Kalidou Koulibaly could make the final World Cup appearance of his career when Senegal face Belgium in the knockout stage on Tuesday, with the experienced defender having already confirmed that this tournament will be his last.
The 35-year-old said before the competition began, while Senegal’s squad gathered in Dakar and the disappointment surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations remained fresh, that he intended to retire from World Cup football after the tournament. He repeated that stance during the group stage as Senegal endured a difficult start despite producing encouraging performances.
Now, at Lumen Field in Seattle, Koulibaly and his team face a Belgium side widely regarded as capable of ending Senegal’s campaign. Victory, however, would extend both the country’s run in the competition and the captain’s international farewell on football’s biggest stage.
Senegal reached the knockout rounds as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams after a commanding 5-0 victory over Iraq in their final group game restored their goal difference and secured qualification.
Despite the emphatic nature of that win, their route to the last 16 was marked by frustration. Senegal failed to take a number of opportunities in earlier matches, with Ismaila Sarr missing an open goal against France and Nicolas Jackson striking the post against Norway before Erling Haaland scored the decisive winner.
Those missed chances proved costly, as Senegal left both matches empty-handed despite enjoying long periods in which they were the stronger side. Throughout the tournament, they have consistently created opportunities but have struggled to convert them, a trend that could prove decisive in a knockout encounter where chances are expected to be limited.
Belgium arrive with a settled structure under head coach Domenico Tedesco, relying heavily on the creativity of Kevin De Bruyne and the physical presence of Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku has started all three of Belgium’s group matches and played a significant role in several decisive moments, a notable contrast to his more limited involvement at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. His aerial strength and ability inside the penalty area present a major challenge for Senegal’s defence, which is organised around Koulibaly and Saliou Ciss.
De Bruyne, who turns 35 next month and is also likely competing at his final World Cup, remains Belgium’s chief creative influence. His passing range, particularly from deep positions and set-pieces, has the ability to expose opposition defences by finding runners behind the back line.
Containing that threat will place added responsibility on Senegal’s midfield trio of Pape Gueye, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Cheikhou Kouyate. While the midfield has provided effective protection during the tournament, Belgium’s attacking quality is expected to demand an even higher level of performance.
There are, however, reasons for Senegal to believe they can progress.
Their clinical display against Iraq demonstrated that the squad possesses the finishing ability that had previously been missing. The challenge will be reproducing that efficiency under the pressure of a knockout tie against European opposition rather than repeating the wastefulness shown against France and Norway.
Sarr could prove particularly influential. The winger experienced both extremes during the group stage, scoring twice against Norway after missing an open goal against France. His confidence in front of goal may have a significant bearing on Senegal’s chances.
Jackson also offers a different attacking dimension through his pace and movement behind the defence, giving head coach Pape Thiaw an outlet on the counter-attack, particularly when Belgium commit players forward. Meanwhile, the experience of 34-year-old Sadio Mane provides another important asset for Senegal.
At the heart of the team remains Koulibaly, whose leadership has underpinned Senegal’s defensive performances throughout the tournament. Having built his reputation during distinguished spells with Napoli and Chelsea, the centre-back now stands on the brink of what could be the final World Cup match of his career.
Whether his farewell ends in Seattle or continues into another round will be determined when Senegal and Belgium meet, with kick-off scheduled for 16:00 ET (22:00 South Africa time).
