Augustin Senghor, celebrated as the most successful president in the history of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), had high hopes for the Lions of Teranga’s World Cup journey, having previously guided them through campaigns in Russia and Qatar. However, the 60-year-old lawyer, who also serves as the mayor of Gorée Island—a historical site linked to the transatlantic slave trade—unexpectedly lost his position in the FSF elections last August.
Following his electoral defeat, Senghor opted for silence, stating, “After losing the election I decided to stay quiet and not talk too much about football, to allow the new administration to take charge, with my cooperation and full support,” His past accomplishments and the professionalism displayed during his tenure have sparked discussions in Senegal, especially as the incompetence of the new FSF administration under Abdoulaye Fall becomes increasingly apparent.
Pape Thiaw, the head coach of Senegal, found himself without a contract since February and was owed five months’ salary, which initially led him to refuse participation in the World Cup preparations in the United States. This situation prompted intervention from Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal’s president. “When this situation happened, Pape called me to discuss it,” Senghor recounted. “I told him that he had to focus on the assignment for our nation and not be distracted. Seeing our nation do well is what is more important. “Many in the country have been asking why there are so many problems with the management of the team, as they say that this was unheard of during my time. I have chosen to stay silent until the first anniversary of my departure as FSF president. That is when I will speak my mind.”
Senghor noted that many in Senegal have questioned the current team’s management, recalling that such issues were unheard of during his presidency. He has chosen to remain silent until the first anniversary of his departure from the FSF, at which point he intends to express his views.
Just before Senegal’s narrow 3-2 defeat to Norway on Monday, Thiaw announced that his contractual and salary disputes had been resolved. Reports from within the Senegalese football community indicated that a salary demand of $100,000 per month had been the main sticking point in the prolonged negotiations with the national government, which is responsible for paying the coach’s wages. Thiaw emphasized that the financial aspect was never the core issue, stating, “It was not never a money issue but a principles and respect issue,” This turmoil follows the fallout from an extraordinary Africa Cup of Nations final held in Rabat back in January.
Now facing the challenging prospect of securing advancement to the last 32 at the World Cup, Senegal has suffered losses against both France and Norway. This marks the first occasion the Lions have lost two consecutive matches at a World Cup finals since their remarkable debut in 2002. Thiaw is under intense scrutiny from the Senegalese public and media, particularly regarding his player selections and tactical decisions ahead of a crucial group match against Iraq.
Kalidou Koulibaly has struggled with fitness issues, having not participated in competitive play since early April due to a muscle injury sustained while training with Saudi club Al-Hilal. Following the defeat to Norway, Koulibaly candidly acknowledged his subpar performance, saying, “Every ball I touched went wrong”
He further stated, “I made a lot of mistakes [and] that’s really unfortunate, because losing a match in this way is a real shame, especially at the World Cup. “We know the level here is very high, and you can’t afford mistakes – we made too many to be able to win the match. It happened to me, tomorrow it could happen to someone else. I just hope I can continue helping the team. We have to win.”
Compounding the frustration is Thiaw’s hesitance to utilize the promising young talent available in his squad. For example, Tottenham’s Pape Matar Sarr should have replaced Koulibaly against Norway, and failing to field the 23-year-old against Iraq would be a significant oversight.
Sadio Mané, who has long been Senegal’s star player, has also been ineffective during this World Cup, which may be his last opportunity on this stage. Thiaw must rely on the 34-year-old to regain his scoring touch against Iraq, fully aware that a failure to achieve a significant victory in Toronto could lead to his dismissal after only 18 tumultuous months in charge.
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