AFCON 2015: Senegal Squad Returns Home in Groups After Early Exit
Senegal’s national team has begun returning home in waves following their elimination from the group stage of the 30th Africa Cup of Nations. The Lions of Teranga failed to progress beyond the first round, despite high hopes heading into the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
Star forward Sadio Mané was among the first group of players to leave Malabo, along with Cheikh Mbengue, Moussa Sow, Lamine Sané, Salif Sané, Alfred Ndiaye, Henri Saivet, Pape Ndiaye Souaré, and Pape Kouly Diop. The group departed on an Air France flight, bound for Dakar.
However, not all players will be returning to Senegal immediately. Many, particularly those based in England, are required to rejoin their clubs without delay, in accordance with FIFA regulations.
“After Senegal’s elimination, clubs—especially English ones—kept calling their players back,” explained Augustin Senghor, President of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF). “FIFA rules are very clear: once a national team is eliminated, players must be available to their clubs within forty-eight hours.”
Despite this, Senghor noted that some players chose to delay their departure by a day, showing solidarity with the team and their country.
“They took it upon themselves to stay an extra day because we needed them,” he added.
The FSF president was particularly pleased with the conduct of those players who opted to return to Senegal to face the public, a gesture he believes reflects a more mature and united squad compared to previous years.
“The rest of the group, in agreement with their clubs, expressed the desire to come back to Senegal to face the Senegalese people,” Senghor said. “They are not trying to avoid the public’s gaze. I think we must commend this behavior.”
He contrasted this attitude with the aftermath of the 2012 AFCON, where the national team also suffered an early exit — but players were quick to leave without facing supporters or media.
“Unlike in 2012, when the players packed their bags and left immediately after the elimination, this time they are showing accountability,” Senghor remarked. “We must salute this attitude.”
Senegal’s early exit from the tournament was a bitter disappointment for fans, especially given the strength of the squad and their promising start, which included a victory over Ghana. However, subsequent performances fell short of expectations, and the team failed to advance from a tightly contested group.
As the federation begins its post-tournament review, the focus now shifts to building on the lessons learned and preparing for upcoming competitions, including the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
