Senegal Coach Pape Thiaw Sends Message to CAF After Teranga Lions Parade AFCON Trophy in Paris
- Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has insisted the Teranga Lions are still “African champions” despite CAF ruling
- Senegal paraded the AFCON trophy to thousands of supporters in Paris before their friendly vs Peru
- The Teranga Lions have launched an appeal at CAS as the dispute with CAF and Morocco continues
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Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has delivered a firm message following the Teranga Lions’ controversial Africa Cup of Nations saga, insisting they remain the rightful champions despite CAF’s ruling.
The statement came after Senegal paraded the AFCON trophy in front of thousands of fans at the Stade de France in Paris, a bold show of defiance amid an ongoing legal battle over the title.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking publicly for the first time since the ruling, Thiaw made it clear that Senegal have not accepted CAF’s decision to strip them of the title and award it to Morocco, Flashscore reports.
“We know we're African champions. We're going to keep working to win more trophies. It's clear in our minds that competitions and trophies are won on the pitch. We've done that; we're African champions,” he said.
The controversy stems from the AFCON final in Rabat, where Senegal defeated Morocco 1-0 after extra time.
The match had descended into chaos after Senegal players briefly walked off in protest of a late penalty awarded to the hosts.
Although they returned and went on to win, CAF later ruled the walk-off a breach of regulations and awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory.
Thiaw, who played a central role during the incident, acknowledged the distraction but urged his players to remain focused on football.
AFCON trophy parade sends strong message
Senegal’s response to the controversial CAF ruling has not been limited to words.
Ahead of their friendly against Peru, the Teranga Lions paraded the AFCON trophy at the Stade de France, reinforcing their stance in front of a large crowd of supporters, Daily Mail reports.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly led the squad onto the pitch alongside teammates, including goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
The players completed a lap of honour before placing the trophy in the stadium’s presidential box, where Senegalese FA president Abdoulaye Fall was seated.
Source: Getty Images
The moment, which followed a lively pre-match concert by Youssou Ndour, was symbolic. It showed that, regardless of CAF’s ruling, Senegal continues to embrace the title they believe they won fairly.
Thousands of Senegalese fans in attendance welcomed the gesture, turning the occasion into both a celebration and a statement.
Senegal shifts focus to CAS and World Cup preparations
While the symbolic battle for the AFCON title continues, the legal fight is now headed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Senegalese Football Federation has formally appealed CAF’s decision and is pushing to have the original result reinstated.
For Thiaw and his players, however, attention must also remain on upcoming challenges.
Senegal are preparing for the World Cup, where they have been drawn alongside strong opponents including France and Norway.
CAF releases new statement on AFCON 2025
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that CAF has updated its review of AFCON 2025 after its recent decision on the winner.
Senegal won AFCON 2025 after defeating Morocco 1-0 thanks to Pape Gueye's strike, following the disruptions and resumption of the final on January 18, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
