“Everything Can Come Down to the Final Matchday” — Pape Thiaw Urges Senegal to Keep Fighting

Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw insists his team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes are still alive despite a second consecutive defeat at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leaving their qualification hopes in serious doubt.

The African side was beaten 3-2 by Norway in their second World Cup Group stage encounter, just days after opening their campaign with a 3-1 loss to France. The back-to-back defeats have left Senegal under pressure heading into their final group match.

Despite the setback, Thiaw insists the tournament is not yet over and believes everything could still be decided on the final matchday.

“The players know it's not over yet. Everything can come down to the final matchday. It's a defeat, we must accept it and move forward. We know there is one match left, we must give it our absolute all and hope,” he said.