The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has raised serious concerns about the security of the national team after they arrived in Rabat, Morocco for Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final.
Senegal, who won the trophy in 2022, are aiming to lift it for a second time as they face hosts Morocco. When the team arrived by train on Friday, players were swarmed by fans trying to take selfies and had to push their way through to the team bus.
In a statement, the FSF also criticized the hotel, the limited number of tickets for Senegal supporters, and said they were unhappy being offered a training pitch at Morocco’s base. They warned that the lack of adequate security put players and staff at risk.
Senegal manager Pape Thiaw said: “What happened yesterday was not normal. With that many people, anything could have happened. My players could have been in danger. That shouldn’t happen between two brother countries.”
Thiaw also commented on Sadio Mane, who scored the winner in Wednesday’s semi-final against Egypt and had said he wouldn’t play at Afcon again. Mane is Senegal’s all-time top scorer with 52 goals in 123 appearances.
Thiaw said: “I think he spoke in the heat of the moment. The country doesn’t agree, and neither do I as coach. The decision is no longer just his—there’s a whole nation behind him who want him to continue. We hope to keep him for as long as possible.”
Mane, who now plays for Al-Nassr, would be 34 when Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda host the 2027 Afcon.
