Faces of Football: Senegal - a letter to the national team

Dear Senegalese national team, 

My name is Mamadou Loum, and I live in Rome, capital of beautiful Italy. I have been living here since 2009 and I work as a warehouse assistant. Outside of work, I play football - I’m a goalkeeper for a team called Football Uni. 

I’ve been following the Senegalese national team since way back in 1992, during the glorious era of François Bocandé, Victor Diagne and Souleymane Sané. What a team that was. 

Senegal is a proud nation and while I’ve experienced some wonderful moments, I’ve also experienced some disappointments too. A memory that still hurts to this day is the Africa Cup of Nations final defeat to Cameroon in 2002. 

It’s wonderful to be going into this World Cup in Qatar having recently righted the wrongs of 2002 and won the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year. Winning it is something I’ll never, ever, forget. 

To the Senegalese national team, I send you this small message of encouragement ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This World Cup could be a great one for us, with so much talent in the squad I truly believe we can go far. 

The only thing we really ask from you guys is that you enjoy yourselves, and that we enjoy watching you play. Play the football that you play so well, have confidence in yourself and give it your all. 

Whatever you do though, just know that being there and competing at the tournament makes young people across Senegal dream - dream of representing our wonderful nation on a world stage.

All united, all together, we need can achieve great things. Manko wouti ndamli. We are all behind you, as always.

The whole of Senegal and all the Senegalese of the world are behind you! 

Come on you Lions!