It would have taken the dreamiest, most imaginative scriptwriter to craft Senegal’s 2002 World Cup story.
After all, how the Lions of Teranga fared in their maiden appearance at the global showpiece could only occur in fantasyland. Or so we all thought.
The sight of the Senegal staff and substitutes running onto the pitch at the final whistle of their opening Group A game against France at a packed Seoul World Cup Stadium lives vivid in the memory, despite the two decades that have passed since.
The images of supporters grinning in disbelief, hugging and jumping up and down in the stands will never be forgotten in the West African nation.
Senegal were thrown into the metaphorical lion’s den in their first game at the finals and were not given a prayer against the defending world and European champions France.
Bruno Metsu’s Senegal team went into the 2002 World Cup ranked 42nd in the FIFA Men’s Ranking, fifth among Africa’s five representatives at the global showpiece and second-bottom among the 32 nations in the competition.
They could simply have been happy to be there and enjoy 270 minutes of football across three games. They could have opted to play within themselves and demonstrate the inferiority that their ranking suggested.
While that would have been the expected turn of events, it would have denied observers one of the great World Cup stories against the tournament’s highest-ranked side.
France unsurprisingly dominated possession in the early stages of the opening game, but Senegal held firm, conceding few chances until David Trezeguet hit the post after combining with Thierry Henry in the 22nd minute. It was the first of three times the woodwork will be rattled in Seoul.
Eight minutes after Les Blues went close, the Lions of Teranga’s colossal moment came.
18 years ago today Papa Bouba Diop scores and Senegal shock France in the opening game of the World Cup.
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