(Video) Pape Thiaw sends defiant message after CAF hands AFCON crown to Morocco

16.06.26 FT World Cup

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Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw defiantly dismissed the recent CAF ruling during a press conference in the US ahead of World Cup 2026.

Treating the past as history

The Teranga Lions camp refused to let administrative drama derail their final preparations in North America.

Just days before the global tournament kicks off, the CAF shocked the continent by overturning Senegal's recent Africa Cup of Nations final victory declaring them losers and awarding the trophy to Morocco due to an administrative dispute.

Speaking to reporters in the United States ahead of a high profile warm up friendly against the US Men's National Team, Pape Thiaw completely bypassed the political noise to keep his squad’s eyes on the ultimate prize.

Moving from a sprint to a marathon

The tactical mastermind made it clear that while boardroom officials can alter records, they cannot alter the psychological reality inside his dressing room.

Thiaw insisted that his players still carry the confidence of continental kings but noted that domestic arguments have no place on the global stage.

"Winning the AFCON was deeply important to us and it was one of our main targets, Thiaw stated. But that campaign is now firmly behind us"

"We know what we accomplished on the pitch but we are now stepping into the premier competition on earth facing the absolute best teams in the world"

The manager emphasized that navigating a World Cup group stage requires a completely different physical and tactical approach than a regional knockout tournament.

He compared this month in the United States, Mexico and Canada to a grueling marathon rather than a short distance race demanding complete focus from his squad from the very first whistle.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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