Kalidou Koulibaly insisted he has “no fear” about Senegal’s prospects despite being sent off in what should have been a celebratory night marking his 100th appearance for the national team, choosing instead to underline his trust in the depth and spirit of the Lions of Teranga.
The Senegal captain was dismissed in the 70th minute of the group match against Benin for a studs-up challenge, cutting short a personal milestone.
Yet the defending champions still went on to secure qualification and top spot in their group, even finding the net again while reduced to ten men – a detail that Koulibaly repeatedly returned to when speaking to Wiwsport in the mixed zone.
Reflecting on the encounter he was unable to finish, Koulibaly acknowledged the disappointment but placed the collective achievement above his own frustration.
“It’s a shame to have received the red card in that match. But the most important thing is that Senegal has qualified and finished top of their group. We showed a good side because even with 10 men, we managed to score the third goal. I’m very proud of what we did today. It was a difficult match against Benin, who caused us a lot of problems, but we showed that we are a great team,” Koulibaly said.
His dismissal means he will miss the next fixture, a scenario that often brings anxiety for supporters when a captain and defensive leader is absent.
Koulibaly, however, dismissed any notion that his suspension would weaken the squad.
“I have no fear! You know, we wear the jersey, but it doesn’t belong to anyone but the people. The jersey belongs to these players who are here! Whether it’s me playing or someone else, the most important thing is that we give 100%, that we do everything to win. Today, I’d rather Senegal win and I’m not on the pitch than anything else, and I have complete faith in this group. I know we’re capable of going very far, and we saw what happened on the pitch today, and we’ll see what happens next, but I have complete faith in my players.”
Koulibaly also addressed his coach’s recent comments about the squad depth at his disposal, pointing to the contributions made from the bench during the match.
“As you saw today, it was Abdoulaye Seck who unlocked the situation and he had a fantastic match – Mamadou Sarr also made a very good entrance. Whether in central defense or elsewhere, I think we have the ability to play a great match. But the most important thing is that Senegal has qualified, but every match is different. We’ll wait to find out who our opponent is in the Round of 16 and then we’ll prepare for the match so we can win it.”
On the condition of Lamine Camara, who left the pitch earlier with an injury scare, the captain offered a brief update.
“Lamine (Camara) hurt his ankle, I hope it’s not too serious, but he’s going to have tests done and we’ll see what happens.”
Koulibaly was also keen to highlight the need to protect young talents coming into the senior side, citing Ibrahim Mbaye as an example.
“They’re here and they know! Now we mustn’t rush things – you know, we have to take it one game at a time, we have to protect them. Today, Ibrahim came on well, he won us a penalty, he needs to keep working like that. But the most important thing is that everyone works for the team.”
Finally, the centre-back returned to the emotional weight of the evening, even if it ended in disappointment on a personal level.
“My 100th cap for the national team is fantastic, I’m very proud. It happened the way it did, but I have no regrets because Senegal has qualified and finished first in their group. We’ll play our round of 16 match here in Tangier. That’s the most important thing!”
