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Senegal’s press release has raised eyebrows over the scenes in the Lions of Teranga’s 3-2 defeat to Norway in the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage.
The specified site “Sennyuz”. The Senegal international said the decision to replace captain Kalidou Koulibaly in the match was not initially a technical decision by coach Pape Thiau, but rather after pressure from some team leaders on the pitch.
According to the report, the Senegalese coach had no intention of withdrawing Koulibaly in the 72nd minute despite the modest performance of the Saudi Al Hilal defender in the match, but the persistence of a number of senior players in the team forced the technical staff to make a change.
The website added that the pair, Sadio Mane and Idrissa Yana Gueye, played a key role in the decision after they demanded Koulibaly be sent off in an attempt to rectify the situation in one of the most controversial moments of the Teranga Lions’ camp against Norway.
The incident came after a difficult match that saw a number of defensive mistakes by Senegal, handing the team their second straight defeat at the tournament after losing 3-1 to France in the first round.
Koulibaly was one of the big names coach Thiau relied on ahead of the World Cup, along with Sadio Mane, Idrissa Yana Gué and Edouard Mendy, as they are the leaders of the current generation of the Senegal national team.
The position of the Senegal national team in the ninth group has become very complicated, having suffered two consecutive defeats against France and Norway, leaving their account frozen at zero points before the final round.
On the other hand, the teams of France and Norway qualified for the next round by scoring 6 points each.
Despite this, Senegal’s hopes of reaching the round of 32 among the best third-placed teams remain, as the team needs a win over Iraq in the last round and await the results of the other groups.
The news adds to the pressure on the Senegal team amid questions about the authenticity of the atmosphere in the dressing room, especially if the story of interference by senior players in one of the most important technical decisions of the game in Norway is true.
