The story of Aliou Cissé and the Lions of Teranga, the Senegal team’s nickname, is mixed up. He is the coach responsible for taking the team to the round of 16 of the World Cup for the second time in its history. In the first, in 2002, he was on the field and reached the quarterfinals, losing to Turkey by 1-0.
This year, he was champion of the African Cup of Nations, the first title in the country’s history. The team’s star, Sadio Mané, wasted a kick in normal time, but converted his and became a hero.
As a player, Cissé hit the title bar, missing the last penalty in the dispute against Cameroon. Not that the story on the edge of the pitch was any easier than on it. On the eve of his debut in Qatar, he had to reinvent the team, as Mané, the star and spirit of the Senegalese team, suffered an injury and was out of the tournament.
Still, the Senegalese did not lose heart. New heroes emerged, personified in Ismaïla Sarr and Kalidou Koulibaly this Tuesday (29), guaranteeing a place in the round of 16 of the World Cup over Ecuador, which needed only a draw to advance.
The perseverance of the Lions of Teranga exceeded expectations and gave them the winning goal two minutes after the Ecuadorian tie, in a perfect ball leftover.
“I dedicate this victory to Pape Bouba Diop and Bruno Metsu. But also to a man who did a lot for the country, but who unfortunately is not here: Sadio Mané”, said Cissé in the press conference after the match.
Exactly two years ago, Senegal lost a sports idol. Papa Diop died at the age of 42 from a degenerative disease. He was honored by the players during the match, who extended banners — one of them said that “a true Lion never dies”, in allusion to the team’s nickname.
Diop scored the winning goal against France in 2002. It was a game beyond football, as the French colonized Senegal for more than a century (between 1817 and 1960). The scream, stuck in his throat, was embodied in a goal.
Metsu, on the other hand, was the coach that Cissé now becomes — the one who brings the country back to relevance, to triumphs, in a competitive sport like football. The Frenchman was in charge of the national team from 2000 to 2002, and died in 2013.
Senegal now awaits the first place in Group B for the round of 16.
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