World cup bits….with Mike Cerutti
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The total fall of Senegal’s national team, the Teranga Lions, in the current World Cup is indeed saddening to many. Just months before the tournament, this same squad stood tall as Africa’s champions, playing with pride and lifting the continent’s hopes. Their football was bold, disciplined, and a reminder that African teams could compete with the best in the world. Fans across the continent believed the Lions would roar on the global stage.
Before the Nations Cup, CAF President Patrice Motsepe even tagged them “Africa’s Biggest Hope.” The tag came with expectation, respect, and the belief that Senegal had the talent, coaching, and structure to go far. They had the players, the experience, and the momentum. On paper, everything pointed to a deep World Cup run that would make the continent proud.
But in the World Cup, they let Africa down. Not because the talent disappeared, but because the foundation cracked. Reports say no allowances were paid to the players, there was no contract for the coach, and the team had to deal with poor feeding recipes while representing a whole continent. How do you expect peak performance when basic welfare is treated as an afterthought? Talent alone cannot survive neglect.
This is pathetic. When will Africa sports authorities take good care of their talents? We celebrate our stars when they win, but we abandon them with poor planning, delayed payments, and disrespect when it matters most. Senegal’s case is a mirror: if we keep treating champions like beggars, we’ll keep watching Africa’s brightest dreams fade under stadium lights.
Take heart, Teranga Lions. The failure is not yours alone. It belongs to a system that kills super talent through neglect. Until authorities learn that care, contracts, and dignity are part of winning, Africa will keep losing what it already has.
