«Everyone knows we are African champions,» emphasizes Senegal coach Pape Thiaw

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw insisted on Friday that «trophies are won on the pitch» when asked about the decision to strip his team of the Africa Cup of Nations title and declare Morocco champions cwhd.

«I am focused on my work. It is important not to get distracted. Everyone knows we are the champions of Africa,» Thiaw told reporters at a news conference in Paris ahead of his team’s friendly against Peru at the Stade de France on Saturday.

«We will continue to work hard to try to win more trophies. It is clear to us that trophies are won on the field.»

Saturday’s match is part of Senegal’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup, where it will play France, Norway and the winner of the play-off between Bolivia and Iraq in the group stage in the United States.

The match against Peru will also be the first appearance since the Cup of Nations final against Morocco in Rabat on January 18.

Senegal won 1–0 thanks to Pape Gueye’s goal in extra time, but the occasion was marred by chaotic scenes at the end of regular time when many Thiaw players left the field in protest at the decision to award Morocco a penalty while the score was still goalless.

Some Senegalese supporters also attempted a pitch invasion, and the match was held up for almost twenty minutes before the Senegalese players returned.

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Brahim Diaz, who was adjudged to have been fouled for the penalty, then had his weak penalty saved, allowing Senegal to go through and win in extra time as the hosts were stunned.

However, Senegal was sensationally stripped of the title last week when the Confederation of African Football announced it had upheld an appeal by the Moroccan Football Federation, which said the champions had broken tournament rules by walking out.

As a result, the country declared Senegal forfeited the match, turning the 1–0 win into a 3–0 defeat, making Morocco champions.

On Wednesday, Senegal appealed that decision to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“We deserved to be champions of Africa on the pitch and we will try to do the same off it,” Senegal captain Idrissa Gana Gueye said on Friday.

Last week, Everton midfielder Gueye, 36, said he was willing to “give the medals back” to Morocco if it would ease tension between the two countries.

Gueye was also part of the Senegalese team that won the Cup of Nations title for the first time at the 2022 edition in Cameroon.

“Nothing can replace the emotions we experienced,” Gueye added on Friday, noting that his team has won two titles in the last three editions of AFCON, having also reached the 2019 final, which they lost to Algeria.

«We didn’t steal those results. An entire country worked hard, a nation that gave everything, both on and off the field.»

Published on March 27, 2026