Parade, president's praise for Lion kings

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye congratulated the Lions of Teranga on Jan 20 for their "historic" victory in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 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's players on an open-top bus celebrating their Africa Cup of Nations victory with fans during a trophy parade in Dakar on Jan 20. PHOTO: AFP

(AFP)

The team 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, the President 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.