Senegal Head to World Cup Without a Win as France Loom Large

By CTV Africa

Senegal will enter their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against France carrying more questions than confidence after failing to win either of their final two warm-up matches in the United States.

The Teranga Lions first suffered a 3-2 defeat to co-hosts the United States in Charlotte before being held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia in San Antonio, leaving coach Pape Thiaw without a victory from his side’s final preparations for the global showpiece.

Against the United States, Senegal found themselves trailing 2-0 after early goals from Sergiño Dest and Christian Pulisic. The African side fought back through a brace from captain Sadio Mané, who leveled the score at 2-2, only for Folarin Balogun to net the winner and hand the Americans a morale-boosting 3-2 victory.

Hoping to regain momentum in their final tune-up match, Senegal instead settled for a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. The match offered little attacking spark, and matters worsened late on when forward Nicolas Jackson was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, although the dismissal will not affect his availability for the World Cup opener.

The results have sparked concerns among supporters ahead of a daunting opening encounter with France on June 16. While friendly matches are often used to test systems and assess player fitness, Senegal’s inability to secure a win has highlighted issues in both attack and game management.

Yet history suggests writing off the Teranga Lions would be a mistake.

Senegal famously stunned France 1-0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, one of the greatest upsets in football history. That victory launched a remarkable tournament run that saw the West Africans reach the quarter-finals on their World Cup debut.

Now, another generation of Senegalese stars has the opportunity to create its own chapter against the same opponent.

Despite the disappointing warm-up campaign, Senegal still boasts a squad packed with experience and quality, including Sadio Mané, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Lamine Camara. The challenge for coach Pape Thiaw will be transforming potential into performance when it matters most.

France will undoubtedly start as favourites, but Senegal’s recent struggles may also remove some of the pressure and allow the Lions to embrace the underdog role that has served them so well in the past.

For now, the statistics are clear: one defeat, one draw, five goals conceded and no victories from two World Cup test matches. Whether those numbers are warning signs or merely forgotten footnotes will become evident when Senegal take to the field against France.

The World Cup has often been a stage where form gives way to belief. Senegal will be hoping that history repeats itself.