How Cisse’s AFCON victory opened gate for Senegal’s dominance in football

[FILE]Senegal’s head coach Aliou Cisse enters the pitch before the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 semi final football match between Burkina Faso and Senegal at Stade Ahmadou-Ahidjo in Yaounde on February 2, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Last weekend, Senegal won the African U-20 AFCON title, beating The Gambia 2-0 in Cairo, Egypt. The Senegalese will head to Indonesia 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup as African champions.

A month earlier, on February 4, Senegal claimed the African Nations Championship (CHAN) title, beating Algeria in a penalty shootout. The West Africans had won the 2022 African Nations Cup held in Cameroun, beating the Pharaohs of Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout. They also won the 2022 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations, to become the first African country to simultaneously hold the continent’s three most prestigious titles.

At the end of the AFCON tournament in Cameroun in 2022, the head coach of the Teranga Lions, Aliou Cisse, was in cloud nine, with many Senegalese fans chanting his name after the win over Mohamed Salah’s Egypt.

That victory marked Senegal’s first in the tournament, and sparked celebrations across Dakar and other cities in Senegal.

Shortly after the victory at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, The Guardian approached Cisse for a late night interview in the team’s hotel. Among other issues, Cisse revealed to The Guardian how good coaching and quality infrastructure propelled Senegal’s football.

“Our victory here in Cameroon was as a result of solid foundation laid back home. To be frank, this victory was actually made in Senegal, but delivered in Cameroon,” Cisse told The Guardian, using his right hand to adjust his wristwatch. “It was a long process filled with difficulties, but we