In a striking act of defiance, Senegal’s national football team staged a symbolic display with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy during their friendly match against Peru at Stade de France on Saturday. This demonstration comes despite the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) controversial decision to strip Senegal of their championship title earlier this month.
The unprecedented sporting drama originated from January’s AFCON final against hosts Morocco. The match reached its boiling point when Moroccan players were awarded a controversial stoppage-time penalty while the score remained 0-0. Senegal’s squad responded by leaving the field in protest, causing a 17-minute interruption. Upon resumption, Morocco failed to convert the penalty, and Senegal ultimately secured victory with an extra-time goal.
Following an official appeal from the Moroccan Football Association (FRMF), CAF overturned the result, ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match and awarding Morocco a 3-0 victory. This decision effectively handed Morocco the championship title.
Senegal has since escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has committed to delivering a ruling “as swiftly as possible” regarding the contentious decision.
The pre-match ceremony in Paris saw captain Kalidou Koulibaly and teammates parading the trophy around the pitch before placing it in the stadium’s presidential box. This friendly match marks Senegal’s first international appearance since the controversial final and serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming World Cup, where they face France, Norway, and either Bolivia or Iraq in the group stage.