Sonko on France-Senegal: “Whoever wins, it’s Africa that will have defeated Africa.”

Ousmane Sonko commented on the France-Senegal match scheduled for the 2026 World Cup. Asked in Dakar by France 24 and Radio France Internationale, the president of the Senegalese National Assembly expressed his hope for a victory for the Lions of Teranga. “I believe Senegal will win. I wish for it, at least like all Senegalese do,” stated Ousmane Sonko.

The two teams are set to face each other in their first match of the competition. The match recalls the previous encounter in the 2002 World Cup when Senegal defeated France, the reigning world champion, in the opening match of the tournament held in South Korea and Japan.

During the interview, Ousmane Sonko was asked about this new duel between the two countries. He reminded that football is primarily a game, while also offering a political interpretation of the encounter. “In any case, it’s just a football match. But to have a political reading of this match, no matter the winner, it’s Africa that will have beaten Africa,” he stated.

This statement refers to the presence of African-origin players in the French team. According to Ousmane Sonko, the composition of the French squad reflects the human ties between France and the African continent.

Sonko discusses African human resources

In the continuation of his response, the president of the Senegalese National Assembly broadened the discussion to the relations between France and Africa. He stated that the configuration of the French national team allows for an understanding of the relations between the two regions. “The relationship between France and Africa, just by looking at the configuration of the French national team, brings us back to understanding where the actual need is,” he declared.

Ousmane Sonko also mentioned the natural and human resources of the African continent. He urged Africans to recognize their value. “The message I always send to Africans is that if we know our worth and embrace it, we have the natural resource. We have human resources with a rapidly growing demographic, primarily young population,” he continued.

The France-Senegal match is highly anticipated in Senegal. The Lions’ victory over the Blues in 2002 remains one of the most significant moments in the country’s sporting history. Ousmane Sonko expressed hope for another Senegalese victory while emphasizing that the match is primarily within the sporting context of the World Cup.

This statement comes during a broader interview in which the president of the National Assembly also discussed his relations with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the Senegalese political situation, debt, elections, the university crisis, and the homosexuality law.