Senegal prepared to welcome its champions back home on Monday, as the nation celebrated the team’s dramatic Africa Cup of Nations triumph with flags, banners and a national holiday.
The capital and other major cities were already alive with anticipation after Senegal’s victory over Morocco in the final, and the morning newspapers captured the mood of the country.
Le Soleil ran a single-word headline: “Heroic!” while L’Observateur described the win as “Unforgettable.”
Senegal claimed the title on Sunday when Pape Gueye’s extra-time goal sealed a 1-0 victory over hosts Morocco, capping a final marked by chaos and tension.
The match briefly spiraled into controversy when Senegal’s players walked off the pitch late in the game, before returning to see out the result.
“From hell to paradise, the Lions experienced every emotion,” Le Soleil wrote, calling the match a “crazy scenario.”
Dakar and its suburbs, along with other cities across the country, erupted in celebration. Fans flooded the streets, sounding vuvuzelas, honking horns, lighting fireworks, and dancing in jubilant scenes that lasted well into the night.
The win represents Senegal’s second AFCON title, following their 2022 triumph over Egypt in Cameroon. It is also the nation’s third final appearance in the last four editions of the tournament.
Although no official confirmation has been issued, the team is expected to arrive back in Dakar on Monday.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has said he plans to host the squad at the presidential palace in the coming days, praising the players as “patriots” and describing the victory as a triumph for all Senegalese people.
The final was played amid a tense atmosphere, sparked by controversy in the days leading up to the match over the treatment and security of the Senegalese players upon their arrival in Rabat.
For L’Observateur, the victory was more than just a sporting achievement. It called the win “a moral victory,” describing it as a triumph of collective strength over adversity, pressure, and the influence of outside interests.
