Dakar, Senegal – There was silence before kickoff. The nation is holding its breath, not out of fear but in anticipation.
Across Dakar, radios crackled through open windows. Men huddled shoulder to shoulder in the cafe, their eyes glued to the flashing television screens. The family was gathered in the living room. The friends leaned into their phones, the tea growing cold as the conversation turned to concentration.
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The city’s usual rhythm horns, markets, discussions and laughter did not disappear. It simply succumbed to something bigger.
Senegal faced Belgium in the first round of the World Cup finals.
In the 25th minute of the match, Habib Diarra, a boy from the suburbs of Dakar, played a loose ball over the Belgian goalkeeper, giving the team a 1-0 victory over Senegal.
Dakar, 8,000 km away from the match in Seattle, USA, became the stadium. The celebrations intensified after Senegal scored their second goal early in the second half. Confidence turned into complacency. With five minutes left until the scheduled time, car horns blared and firecrackers echoed throughout the night. Victory was near.
But the celebrations came too soon.
Belgium scored one goal. See you soon. It was all done in just five minutes and it was an amazing comeback. Senegal then awarded a penalty in the final minutes of extra time, giving them a 3-2 victory over Belgium.
The problem is preparation
Even after a day, the silence remains.
It’s not that I’m completely sad, but rather I have a strong sense of disbelief.
“I don’t understand it,” says former Senegalese national footballer Ferdinand Collie. “When you control a game with such quality until the 85th minute, you have to finish it until the end. But psychologically everything has changed.”
Collie believes that the turning point was not Belgium’s comeback, but the decision made by Senegal’s coaching staff.
“The substitution completely changed the midfield. There was no reason to make a substitution. When Belgium scored, they had a mental advantage. Senegal became vulnerable. They retreated, played with fear and never recovered.”
Collie was part of the Senegal squad at the 2002 World Cup, a team that famously stunned France in the opening game of the tournament.
“It’s never over until the final whistle blows,” he said, reflecting on Belgium’s dramatic comeback.
Since retiring, Collie has traded in his soccer cleats for farming. He is also working with the Senegalese Football Federation and believes the national team has lost sight of the basics.
For him, the problem isn’t talent, it’s preparation.
He believes there is an over-reliance on data, statistics and performance apps instead of building a consistent team identity and developing a clear tactical strategy.
As Belgium searched for an equalizer, the coach was still jotting down notes, making adjustments and responding until the last moment.
“What a contrast!” said Mr. Cory. “We rely on technology even though football is still about reading, adapting and thinking about the game.”
same old battle
Colley’s analysis is the same as that of supporters who are still trying to process a late slip-up in defeat.
Ibrahima Diop is a die-hard Teranga Lions fan. He traveled to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He was also jailed in Morocco for trouble during the African Cup of Nations final earlier this year.
In the controversial final against hosts Morocco, Senegal’s coach caused controversy by sending his players off the pitch after a controversial penalty award. Senegal went on to win the match, but subsequently lost the title due to this incident.
For Diop, the lesson was the same as against Belgium.
“It comes down to focus,” he says. “For 85 minutes the team was organized and united, but then it disappeared. European teams are mentally ready to fight until the end. We are still struggling in the last minutes.”
Diop also believes that Senegal was missing something that cannot be measured.
“The team played without supporters. Many fans could not travel due to visa restrictions and the economic crisis. The players know what the atmosphere does for them. Mentally it has been transformative.”
In December, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation saying the country would no longer issue business or tourist visas to citizens of Senegal and several other countries. This meant that fans with only Senegalese nationality were unable to travel to the tournament.
Diop sees a pattern in this World Cup. Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and now Senegal led until the end, only to watch their victories slip away in empty stadiums.
cruel to the country
Soccer is rarely just soccer. This World Cup, meant to unite, has exposed deep inequalities outside the stands. Nations may unite for victory. But when the referee blows the final whistle, another game begins: the blame game.
Soccer is the opium of the masses, Colley says. It became one of the few moments when political loyalties disappear. Everyone wears the same color for 90 minutes.
“The national team is a bridge,” Colley said. “When Senegal plays, there are no political affiliations; it’s just Senegal. Sport has the unique power to unite people across differences.”
Solidarity makes defeat feel disproportionately heavy.
Social media quickly became filled with frozen moments from the game, with missed chances, defensive mistakes and coaching decisions endlessly replayed.
Under pressure, football often reveals more than just the sport’s weaknesses.
Babacar Fall, a Senegalese journalist who has followed the national team closely, claims the problems started long before kick-off.
He said uncertainty over the future of the coach, disagreements within the federation and unresolved contractual issues created instability during the tournament.
“We already had problems before the Norway game,” he says. “The contract with the manager had not been finalized. There were disagreements over player selection. Then, 10 minutes after the game against Belgium, one player was substituted and the defensive structure completely collapsed.”
He makes an even broader comparison.
“This country is paralyzed. There was great hope, just as there was great hope politically after the African Cup of Nations. Today there is widespread disappointment. In many ways, the collapse of the team reflects the mood of this country.”
These views capture the sentiment echoed by many supporters in Dakar this week. I am frustrated not only because Senegal lost, but also because of the way they lost.
The talent was there. There was an opportunity. Senegal looked like the stronger team for most of the match. That may be the reason for the continued silence.
This generation has high expectations. Winning the continental title changed the way I looked at Senegal. Reaching the knockout stage is no longer enough. Supporters believe that this team can compete against the best teams in the world.
After all, it’s all about football. But in Senegal, soccer is much more than a sport. It is a source of national pride, a rare moment of collective unity and a reflection of possibility.
That’s why this defeat feels so cruel. It’s not because we lost the game. But one night, it felt like the potential of an entire country had vanished in just five minutes.
