A “historic” reception for the African Cup champion Senegal team (photos)

The Senegalese President congratulated the “Lions of Teranga” on Tuesday on their “historic” victory in the final of the African Cup of Nations at the expense of host Morocco, after tens of thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Dakar to celebrate the champions’ welcome parade.
The players and coach waved the trophy from an open-air bus for more than seven hours as they slowly made their way through the capital amid huge crowds, before arriving at the presidential palace at dusk.
In a ceremony held in Palace Square, President Bassero Diomai Faye told the players that they demonstrated “an exceptional fighting spirit, extraordinary toughness, and an iron will, and this is what makes your victory historic.”
The city center was filled with almost deafening noise, engines and bicycles, car horns, vuvuzelas and screaming, as the players arrived at the reception.
Throughout the day, large crowds, especially young people, gathered in the streets with tremendous energy, chanting, whistling, raising flags, dancing and blowing vuvuzelas.
Some walked or even ran alongside the bus, while others lined the sidewalks, watching from buildings and bridges, or even atop cars and billboards.
Senegal won the Cup of Nations after defeating host Morocco 1-0 after extra time in a chaotic final in Rabat on Sunday, which saw the future champions leave the field in the final minutes of the match in protest after Morocco was awarded a penalty kick, which it later missed.

The team returned to Senegal on a special flight shortly before midnight on Monday, where it was received by President Faye, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and other members of the government.
“I will not miss this moment no matter what happens,” fan Doudou Thiam told AFP from the side of the procession in the Bourguiba neighborhood.
The 26-year-old, wearing a Senegal shirt, added: “The Lions are our pride and they deserve all the honor.”

The clamor of victory
After Senegal’s victory, the streets were packed with fans, and the air was filled with the sound of horns, fireworks and the thundering noise of the vuvuzela.
The victory represents the second title for Senegal, after its 2022 victory over Egypt in Cameroon. It was also the third final for the team in the last four editions.
Hortense Kenny came with her five-year-old child to watch the procession in the popular neighborhood of Bat Dua, where the parade began.
“The Lions made the entire nation proud, after they defeated the host country in those circumstances,” she said, referring to the end of the match.
She added: “The only thing left now is to win the World Cup. With Sadio Mane, anything is possible,” referring to the first team star.
The Saudi Al-Nasr player received widespread praise for his role in calming the atmosphere during the final, as he was the only one who remained on the field and convinced his teammates to return.
Fay praised Mane in his speech, describing him as “a player who left his mark on this final and this tournament, with his talent but above all with his high sense of responsibility.”
In addition, the president granted each player 75 million CFA francs ($134,000), as well as a plot of land along Senegal’s famous “little seafront.”

A controversial win
The crowds on Tuesday did not show any discomfort with the controversy surrounding the national team’s decision to leave the field in stoppage time in protest against a penalty kick awarded to Morocco.
After Mane’s intervention, the players returned to the field, and Moroccan Ibrahim Diaz missed a Panenka-style penalty kick that was easily saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Remandi, before Pape Gui decided the match with a wonderful shot in extra time that shocked the Moroccan audience.
The Moroccan Football Federation said that it referred the incidents, including protests by Senegalese players and their fans, to the Confederation of African Football and its international counterpart, FIFA.
In his speech, Faye congratulated Morocco for the “great efforts made in organizing” the tournament, and also congratulated his team for an “outstanding performance.”
Away from Morocco, the lucrative commercial side of football extended to the streets of Dakar on Tuesday.
Amat Ndiaye, a 36-year-old street vendor who usually sells paper napkins, said that during the tournament and celebrations he switched to selling T-shirts, flags, vuvuzelas, and whistles.
“I’m fine,” he told AFP from the Bat Doua neighborhood, near the cheering crowds dressed in the colors of the Senegalese flag, adding that he was satisfied with his business choice.