“This elimination is a failure,” says Edouard Mendy following the 2026 World Cup

The Lions of Teranga goalkeeper has called for a period of deep self-reflection.

Edouard Mendy has finally broken his silence following Senegal’s disappointing exit in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. In a message posted on social media, the Senegalese goalkeeper acknowledged that the team had the potential to go much further in the tournament.

But beyond the disappointment, Mendy believes that Senegalese football must now learn from this setback.

“This elimination is a failure. We had the quality to go further. We didn’t do it. I gave my all to recover from my injury and return in time to help the team right to the end, but it wasn’t enough. Now, we must have the courage to face reality head-on. A competition of this calibre demands a thorough self-assessment.

Not a superficial one, but an honest and rigorous review of everything we’ve done: what enabled us to progress, but above all what prevented us from achieving our goal. Uncomfortable truths are often the ones that drive the most progress.

If we want to reach the very top, we must be prepared to ask ourselves the right questions, make the right decisions and raise our standards. Senegal deserves a team and a football association capable of turning failures into lessons and lessons into victories.

It is up to us to prove ourselves worthy of this.”