Senegal national team head coach Pape Thiaw has boldly declared his belief that the team can win the upcoming World Cup in North America. 'If, even for a second, I doubted that I could win the World Cup with Senegal, then I would step aside,' he said after a match in March.
The statement is remarkable in two ways: first, an African team openly stating it can win the World Cup; second, that it has not been ridiculed for doing so, reflecting the respect Senegal's national team has earned globally.
Over the past decade, Senegal has either won every Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) they participated in or lost to the eventual champions, making them Africa's most consistent national team.
However, World Cup campaigns have been less successful: in 2018, they became the first team eliminated by fair-play tie-breaking rules due to yellow cards; in 2022, without injured star Sadio Mane, they lost to England in the round of 16.
Senegal's success stems from smart diaspora recruitment and local academies. Despite a population of just 20 million, the country produces talented young footballers at a scale unmatched by larger nations like Nigeria (242 million) or Egypt (120 million).
Among the academies, Generation Foot stands out, with a 23-year partnership with FC Metz. Metz invested over 10 million euros in the academy in exchange for first refusal on top talent.
However, these relationships have sparked resentment over economic injustice: 13 AFCON players generated only 100,000 euros in transfer fees for their academies, while European clubs earned 81.2 million euros from their sales.
Cherif Sadio, director of Diambars academy, highlights the paradox: 'We produce world-class players, win continental titles, yet our local clubs struggle to survive, stadiums are dilapidated, and leagues lack visibility.'
Despite these issues, Senegal's future looks bright: recent recruits include 18-year-old PSG forward Ibrahim Mbaye and 20-year-old Chelsea defender Mamadou Sarr, both French-born diaspora talents, strengthening the squad's depth.
Source: www.aljazeera.com