The excellent former midfielder of the Senegal national football team, Papa Bouba – The best of Bouba Diop dedicated the victory against Ecuador at the World Cup in Qatar to his memory.
Senegal won 2-1 against Ecuador in the final round of Group A on Tuesday to advance to the round of 16 in second place. The captain of the West African national team Kalidou Koulibaly decided the match and after the match he was moved and said that they would dedicate their victory to the family of Papa Bouba Diop.
We wanted him to be proud of us and we wanted to pay tribute to his memory. It was thanks to him that I started dreaming about football as a child
– said the 31-year-old player, referring to Diop’s legendary goal, with which the Senegalese national team defeated holders France 1-0 20 years ago in the opening match of the World Cup jointly organized by Korea South and Japan, and was later celebrated as a national hero in his home country.
Papa Bouba Diop died in 2020, aged just 42, after a serious illness (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS).
With Senegal’s victory, it became certain that the World Cup was over for their South American opponent. Gustavo Alfaro, the captain of the Ecuadorian national team, made an angry statement following the relegation defeat.
“This failure is very painful, it hurts everyone,” said the 60-year-old Argentine specialist.
“We have to take into account that we played well and take him with us. I’m sure this team will fight again in the future.”
