Senegal Coach: "My Father is Senegalese, My Mother is Malian, Tomorrow's Match is Not a War"

08 January 2026at19:00

Senegal national team coach Pape Thiaw affirmed that the upcoming quarter-final clash against Mali in the Africa Cup of Nations remains within its sporting context. He rejected describing the match as "war," emphasizing the deep ties between the two nations.

During the pre-match press conference, Thiaw stated: "For me, this is a football match, not a war. For example, my mother is from Mali and my father is Senegalese. Mali and Senegal can never have a war between them."

Speaking about the team's player rotation policy, Thiaw defended his technical choices, refusing to categorize players as starters or substitutes. He highlighted the strong competition within the squad, declaring: "Some people get annoyed when I say I brought 28 starting players, but I have proven that on the field. There are no substitutes in our team; football dictates that we start with only 11 players, but fair competition is what makes us strong."

He concluded: "Continuing to play in Tangier is a reward for us after finishing first in a tough group. We hope to continue playing here because we see the public's support, and this motivates us greatly."

It is worth noting that the Senegalese national team will face Mali tomorrow, Friday, starting at 5:00 PM (GMT+1).

Q&A

Why did Senegal coach Pape Thiaw describe the Mali match as 'not a war'?

Coach Thiaw emphasized the deep cultural and familial ties between Senegal and Mali, citing his own mixed heritage to highlight that the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final remains purely a sporting contest.

What is Pape Thiaw's approach to player selection for the Senegal national team?

Thiaw defends his player rotation policy, asserting that he has '28 starting players' and that strong, fair competition within the squad, rather than fixed roles, is the team's greatest strength.