Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has admitted his side became overly defensive after establishing a two-goal lead against Belgium, acknowledging that his team’s change in approach contributed to one of the most painful collapses of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Teranga Lions looked destined for a place in the Round of 16 after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr gave them a commanding 2-0 advantage with just minutes remaining in their Round of 32 clash in Seattle. However, Belgium mounted a stunning late comeback through Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans before Tielemans converted a controversial penalty in the 125th minute of extra time to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Reflecting on the defeat, Thiaw admitted that Senegal lost control of the match after choosing to protect their lead rather than continue playing on the front foot.
“We had the match in hand, we were winning 2-0, and then we backed off a little bit towards the end; we wanted to hold onto the score. Once we conceded the 2-1, we retreated even more and they scored their second goal.”
His assessment echoed the events on the pitch, with Belgium taking advantage of Senegal’s increasingly defensive posture to force extra time before completing the comeback. The defeat marked one of the latest reversals in World Cup knockout history, with Senegal conceding twice in the closing stages of normal time after appearing in complete control.
Despite the devastating outcome, Thiaw praised his players’ commitment and revealed the emotional challenge of lifting the squad after Belgium’s equaliser.
“It wasn’t easy; we tried to lift their spirits and bring more energy to the team. It’s not easy because they gave it their all; we wanted to qualify for the people.”
The Senegal coach insisted his players deserved more from the contest, describing football as “a cruel game” after seeing their hopes of reaching the last 16 disappear in dramatic fashion. While his team disputed the late VAR-awarded penalty that ultimately settled the match, Thiaw refused to use officiating as the primary explanation for the defeat, instead acknowledging that Senegal had failed to manage the closing stages after surrendering their two-goal advantage.
The result has intensified scrutiny of Thiaw’s tactical decisions, particularly his substitutions and the team’s increasingly cautious approach after taking control of the match. Senegalese media reacted harshly in the aftermath, with several newspapers placing responsibility for the elimination on the coach, while midfielder Pape Gueye later announced he would suspend his international career for as long as the current coaching staff remains in charge, exposing growing tensions within the national team setup.
The painful exit capped a turbulent tournament for Senegal. After opening with defeats to France and Norway, the Teranga Lions kept their World Cup hopes alive by thrashing Iraq 5-0 to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. Their performance against Belgium appeared set to complete a remarkable turnaround before a catastrophic finish brought their campaign to an abrupt end.
For Thiaw, the defeat leaves difficult questions about game management and tactical decision-making. His own admission that Senegal retreated after taking a 2-0 lead is likely to fuel further debate over whether a more aggressive approach could have prevented one of the most heartbreaking eliminations in the nation’s World Cup history.
Leave feedback about this