The Senegal national football team lost to Norway 3-2 on June 23, 2026.

What happened?

Coach Pape Thiaw acknowledged that the Norwegians were very effective. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly was beaten, offering the first goal from a failed clearance. Goalkeeper Étienne Mendy suffered, with a hand error on the first goal.

Why does this matter for the Senegal national football team?

The Senegal national football team is still able to qualify for the round of 16, provided they beat Iraq in the last match of the group stage. Idrissa Gueye said that « nothing is over » and that the team must remobilize. Defender Ismail Jakobs tried to downplay the errors, saying that « everyone makes mistakes ».

What’s next?

The Senegal national football team will face Iraq on June 27, 2026. The staff must decide what to do, and the players must be ready to give everything on the field. The Senegal national football team has four days to turn everything around and qualify for the round of 16.