Senegal on Saturday, March 28, showcased the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they have been instructed to return, ahead of their friendly clash with Peru at the Stade de France.
The display comes after a ruling by the Confederation of African Football, which overturned Senegal’s 1-0 win over Morocco in the final and instead awarded a 3-0 victory to the hosts.
Before kickoff, Senegal captain Kalidou Coulibaly led his teammates on a lap of honour with the trophy, following a pre-match performance by Youssou Ndour.
Coulibaly, alongside goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, later placed the trophy in the presidential box in front of dignitaries, including the president of the Senegalese Football Federation.
The initial final, held in Rabat, ended in controversy after Senegal players briefly walked off the pitch in protest over a late penalty decision. Captain Sadio Mane eventually brought the team back onto the field, and after Morocco missed the penalty, Senegal went on to win through an extra-time goal from Pape Gueye.
However, CAF later ruled that the walk-off violated competition rules, leading to the reversal of the result.
Senegal have since appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and continue to challenge the ruling. Ahead of the match, thousands of fans gathered in Paris, marching through Saint-Denis with drums and chants before filling the stadium.
“You are the pride of the residents of working-class neighbourhoods… Today, Africa is united. Everyone behind Senegal,” said Saint-Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko.
The friendly match marks Senegal’s first outing since the AFCON final as they begin preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
