In 2026, France and Senegal are two major nations in international football. The Blues have made two World Cup finals in the last two editions with success in 2018, while the Lions of Teranga have won two of the last three African Cup of Nations. With Norway as well as a fourth country which will be known on March 31, they form group I of the next World Cup, this summer in the United States. A very tough group which would now almost take on the appearance of a death hen.
France and Senegal have only played each other once in history. It was May 31, 2002, in the group stages of the World Cup. The Lions of Teranga won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Papa Bouba Diop in the 30th minute and reached the quarter-finals of the competition in the process. For Omar Daf, who was present within the Senegalese squad at that time, “Senegal has progressed a lot in recent years. Some time ago the game was much more based on transitional football. I think that today, Senegal is more armed than in previous years. The team is not stereotypical. She is capable of variation and can carry out a placed attack as well as a rapid attack. »
“A very high level match” expected in June
During this month of competition in Morocco, Senegal showed the whole world all its qualities which make this team a real outsider in North America. Patrick Guillou, consultant for BeIN Sports, sees Senegal as “a mix of two generations”. “It’s certainly a team with players who are over 30 years old, but with a lot of experience and collective experience. This collective experience is undoubtedly the strength of this Senegalese team. »
Solid in defense and dynamic in attack with a midfielder capable of controlling the pace of a match, the Lions of Teranga have all the cards in hand to make Didier Deschamps’ men doubt. According to Hervé Renard, who won the CAN with Zambia in 2012, “the Blues staff did not need the match on Sunday evening to know that Senegal is a very dangerous selection. When we know the quality of Senegal, I expect a very high level match in June. »
“France will be the clear favorite in this meeting”
If both teams are playing at a very high level, France remains favorite for Patrick Guillou: “The offensive potential of the French team is still enormous. The collective experience that was put in place by Didier Deschamps for this World Cup is substantial. France, for me, is and remains favorite against this Senegal team, provided that it respects all the principles of play, all its structures and that it is concerned about losing the ball.
An opinion shared by Omar Daf, who, even as a fervent admirer and supporter of the Lions of Teranga, considers that “the French team is one of the best teams in the world. Today, we are not here to compare ourselves to France but Senegal is progressing. We just have to stay focused on these areas and go to this World Cup with a lot of humility and ambition. »
Worth a look
