Kalidou Koulibaly recounts shock as CAF decision strips Senegal of AFCON title

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly has described a moment of disbelief and confusion after receiving news that the national team had been stripped of their African champions’ status, a development that reportedly came without warning and left players stunned.

In a candid account, Koulibaly said the situation unfolded in an almost surreal manner when Morocco international Yassine Bounou approached him with what initially sounded like a joke.

“A few days ago, Yassine Bounou came to me and said: ‘You’re no longer African champions. I thought he was joking… but minutes later, we received an official statement from CAF saying that the title had been withdrawn from the Senegal national team,” Koulibaly revealed.

The news, delivered informally before being confirmed officially, left both players struggling to comprehend the decision.

According to the defender, the immediate reaction was one of disbelief, followed by an unexpected moment of shared laughter as they tried to make sense of the ruling.

“We both didn’t believe it, and we were laughing together about the decision,” he said, highlighting the unusual nature of the exchange amid what was clearly a serious development.

Koulibaly added a remark that captured the wider confusion surrounding the situation, noting the implications of the ruling on club football.

“We were saying that Al Hilal now has two African titles at the same time,” he added.

The statement underscores the uncertainty and debate likely to follow the Confederation of African Football’s decision, as players and observers seek clarity on the circumstances that led to such a rare and significant outcome.

For Senegal, the development marks a deeply unsettling moment, with the captain’s account reflecting both the shock within the camp and the broader questions now hanging over African football.