Senegal’s ‘historic’ Afcon champs get presidential praise, parade

Senegal’s president congratulated the Lions of Teranga on Tuesday for their “historic” victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, after tens of thousands of football fans crowded the streets of Dakar for a celebratory homecoming parade.

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Senegal players celebrate winning the Africa Cup of Nations during a trophy parade in Dakar.

(AFP)

The players and coaches brandished their trophy from an open-top bus for more than seven hours as they inched their way across the capital and past immense mobs of fans, finally reaching the presidential palace at dusk.

In a ceremony on the grounds, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told the players they had “demonstrated exceptional fighting spirit, extraordinary resilience, and an iron will, and that is what makes your victory historic”.

Downtown was overcome by a fever pitch of almost deafening noise — revving engines, horns, vuvuzelas and shouting — as the players arrived for the reception.

All day throngs of especially younger fans crowded the streets with electric energy, chanting, whistling, waving flags, dancing and blowing vuvuzelas.

Some walked or even ran alongside the bus, while multitudes lined the sidewalks, sometimes watching from buildings and bridges, or even climbing on top of cars and billboards to get a view.