As Senegal prepare to launch their 2026 World Cup campaign against France on Tuesday, head coach Pape Thiaw has struck a confident tone while urging his players to remain grounded against one of the tournament favorites.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Monday, Thiaw said the Senegal national football team are capable of matching any opponent on their day. He stated that he believes his squad can stand up to any team, noting that they are ambitious with humility, but not arrogant.
Thiaw stressed the critical importance of making a strong start in major tournaments, noting that starting well in competitions like the World Cup is very important for a team, while recalling Senegal’s positive opening performances in both 2002 and 2018. The coach also sought to reassure anxious supporters regarding the overall condition of the squad, following earlier concerns over the absence of several key players during their preparations. He confirmed that all of his players are currently available, leaving it up to him and his coaching staff to make the final selection choices on match day.
Facing a formidable France side that reached the final of the previous World Cup and won the 2018 edition, Thiaw openly acknowledged the sheer strength of the opposition while simultaneously underlining Senegal’s own credentials. He pointed out that France have been World Cup finalists twice in the last ten years and champions once, but countered that Senegal is also a great team with world-class players. When asked about France’s star-studded squad, the Senegal coach emphasized collective strength over individual brilliance, adding that they rely more on their collective and expressing hope that they will deliver the right response on the pitch.
As a former international himself and a member of the historic squad that famously defeated France in 2002, Thiaw nevertheless insisted that past achievements would have absolutely no bearing on Tuesday’s encounter, stating that for him, 2002 is in the past and that history does not play on the pitch. Beyond Senegal’s own immediate ambitions, Thiaw concluded the press conference by expressing his broader hope for greater African representation in the latter stages of the global tournament, stating that his wish is to eventually see two African teams meet in a World Cup quarter-final or semi-final.
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