The Senegalese star denies reports of meddling in the formation situation

Senegal star Kalidou Koulibaly has broken his silence after the Lions of Teranga crashed out of the World Cup with a 3-2 defeat to Belgium.

Senegal came close to progressing to the round of 16 after taking a two-goal lead against Belgium, but the European side turned the tables around four minutes before the end of normal time.

Coulibaly said in a statement published on his account on the website X. “We wanted to make you proud of us, relive the moments together and make sure that the World Cup dream continues for as long as possible for our country. Unfortunately, we did not live up to our aspirations and ambitions.”

He noted: “Most of all, I want to thank you for your trust, love and unwavering support. You were leading this team until the last minute. You were at the level of this event, but unfortunately we were not enough.

He emphasized. “As a leader, I bear all the responsibility for this exclusion. We bear part of the responsibility, we just weren’t at the level to continue this adventure, and that’s a fact we have to humbly accept.”

He noted: “I realize the amount of sadness and legitimate criticism, which shows the love you have for this team, but on the other hand, things were said and written outside of sports circles after our elimination. I cannot allow the honor of those men who have always made it a matter of honor to defend the colors of Senegal to be tarnished.”

“Despite the mistakes, one thing I can state is our commitment and unity, and our love for this jersey has never wavered. Our group remained cohesive, cohesive and very professional from day one to day one.”

“I will always be the first to defend my colleagues when their integrity is unfairly questioned. I would also like to be clear about the point of contention, which is that I have never designated any player for a call-up.

“The coach is always and only responsible for his sporting decisions. The calls, team formations and technical choices are completely up to him. We have always respected them and I can speak with confidence about the players because I share their daily lives. I know their sacrifices, their injuries, their doubts and their love for this jersey.

He concluded. “This exclusion is unfortunate, very unfortunate. But it should not erase everything that this generation has built for Senegalese football.”