“To tell the truth, I think that given the level of play, which is far below what I have seen certain teams like Nigeria and Ivory Coast apply, Senegal must avoid them to hope to qualify for the next world championship,” said the former goalkeeper of Lille and Monaco (Ligue 1).
Sylva expressed his perspective on the current state of Senegal’s football, stating, “The Senegalese level is not yet there. For a team that has global ambitions, we just have to tell the truth, we are still looking for ourselves.” He emphasized the importance of team play and cohesion on the field, suggesting that individual talent alone might not be sufficient.
Despite acknowledging the quality of individual players, Sylva believes that the team’s overall performance is crucial. He noted that the current team has not yet developed a cohesive playing style.
It’s worth recalling that the generation of players led by Tony Sylva, including El Hadji Diouf, Henri Camara, Khalilou Fadiga, and Pape Bouba Diop, achieved significant success for Senegal, including reaching the quarter-finals in the 2002 World Cup.
