Senegal looks to repeat 2002 World Cup upset of France
Loading article...
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — France’s last World Cup match against Senegal set off dancing in the streets of Dakar.
Les Bleus were the defending champions when the Lions of Teranga’s 1-0 upset win in the 2002 opener caused Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade to declare a national holiday.
“Not for revenge do we want to win, but we want to go as far as possible in this competition,” France midfielder N’Golo Kanté said through a translator on Monday, a day before Les Bleus and Senegal meet in Group I.
Senegal was a French colony before 1960.
“We know that a game between France and Senegal is a very symbolic game,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said through a translator.
Six of France’s players hadn’t been born at the time of the 2002 game, when Papa Bouba Diop scored in the 30th minute while lying on his side. The Lions of Teranga reached the quarterfinals that year before losing to Turkey, while France went winless and failed to advance from its group.
“There’s no revenge in football,” France coach Didier Deschamps said through a translator. “This will be another page to write now and what happened in 2002, well, all the best for Senegal. I mean it was good for them at the time but we’ll make sure that the results be a positive for us this time.”
France is a two-time champion seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final. Les Blues won in 1998 and 2018, then lost the 2022 final to Argentina on penalty kicks.
The French team is ranked third in the world, while Senegal is 16th.
“Our main opponent is ourselves,” Kanté said.
“We cannot see ourselves too beautiful or too strong.”
Thiaw was picked for Senegal’s 2002 roster but played in only one game, the round of 16 win over Sweden.
He will pass along lessons learned from the late Bruno Metsu, Senegal’s 2002 coach.
“Of course, there is going to be a Bruno effect when I’m going to be talking to my players tomorrow,” Thiaw said.
“I will also add my personal touch and also add what Bruno taught me along the way.”
Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.