Senegal, who were controversially stripped of their Africa Cup of Nations title after defeating hosts Morocco in January, showcased the trophy in a pre-match ceremony ahead of their friendly against Peru at the Stade de France in Paris, according to Aljazeera.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates paraded the AFCON trophy around the pitch on Saturday, following a lively pre-match concert by Senegalese music legend Youssou N’Dour.
Later, Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy presented the trophy to the stadium’s presidential box, where Senegalese Football Federation president Abdoulaye Fall and other officials looked on.
CAF’s recent ruling overturned Senegal’s 1-0 victory in the January final after their players staged a mid-game walk-off in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco.
The Confederation of African Football’s appeals panel subsequently awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, officially granting them the title.
Senegal has vowed to challenge the decision, planning to take the matter both back to CAF and to the Court of Arbitration for Sport a process that could take up to a year.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese government has called for an independent international inquiry into CAF’s handling of the case, citing concerns over potential corruption.
The drama in the original final began when Senegal’s players temporarily left the field in protest of a penalty decision that Morocco later missed after play resumed following a 14-minute interruption. On the day, Pape Gueye’s goal in extra time had initially secured Senegal’s victory, though Morocco’s subsequent appeal, initially dismissed by CAF, ultimately led to the title reversal.
