« Pas un cadeau » : Ce que la presse belge dit du Sénégal avant le choc de mercredi
Having narrowly qualified for the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, Senegal is preparing to face Belgium this Wednesday in Seattle. This prestigious match is causing real concern in Belgium, where the press and pundits are already aware of the daunting task ahead against the Lions of Teranga.
By finishing top of their group in the group stage, Belgium legitimately hoped for a more favorable initial draw and to avoid an early clash against one of Africa's football powerhouses. However, they hadn't reckoned with the unpredictable twists and turns of the first round. Relegated to third place in their group behind France and Norway, Pape Thiaw's men saw their future in the competition hanging by a thread for a long time. It took a dominant performance on the final matchday, culminating in a resounding 5-0 victory against Iraq, to improve their goal difference and secure their place in the knockout stage.
Senegal thus emerged from the group stage as the only nation to qualify among the best third-placed teams, with a total of three points, eliminating teams like Iran, South Korea, and Scotland. A whole new competition now begins for Sadio Mané and his teammates. This clash against the Red Devils, now coached by Frenchman Rudi Garcia, is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:00 PM (local time). The winner of this transatlantic encounter will face the winner of the round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round.
In Belgium, drawing Senegal at this stage of the competition is far from being welcomed as a gift. The Belgian media are well aware of this and are warning their national team against the resurgence of the African champions, whose pride has been wounded.
“Senegal is an opponent that Belgium has never faced before and is not exactly an easy opponent on paper,” analyzes RTBF. “Senegal is one of the best African nations in recent years. Last January, the Lions of Teranga won the Africa Cup of Nations before having the title retroactively awarded to Morocco.”
This observation is shared by the daily newspaper La Dernière Heure, which emphasizes the unprecedented and perilous nature of this encounter: "This World Cup definitely has a unique feel for the Red Devils. Having not yet faced either Iran or New Zealand, they will discover a third opponent. One that promises to be more formidable: Senegal."
For its part, La Libre Belgique emphasizes the potential for a revolt by the Senegalese team, marked by recent behind-the-scenes events in continental football: "Senegal will not be an easy opponent for the Red Devils: the Lions of Teranga won the last Africa Cup of Nations on the field by beating Morocco (1-0) after a chaotic final, before being awarded the title by the Appeals Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)."
Between the tactical rigor of Rudi Garcia's Belgium and the rediscovered firepower of the Senegalese under the leadership of Pape Thiaw, this unprecedented confrontation is already shaping up to be one of the electrifying highlights of these round of 32 matches.
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