馃嚫馃嚦SenegalWest Africa
Romelu Lukaku backs Senegal to excel at 2026 World Cup
via SeneNews4 min read
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku has expressed strong confidence in Senegal's national football team, the Lions, ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Lukaku, who is Belgium's all-time leading scorer, praised the African champions, stating his belief that they will have an exceptional performance at the upcoming global tournament. He highlighted Senegal's growing prominence in world football, attributing it to their consistent performance and strong squad. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will mark Senegal's fourth appearance in the competition, following their participation in 2002, 2018, and 2022. The team, led by coach Pape Thiaw, aims to solidify its status among the continent's top nations and further make history in Senegalese football.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Belgian international midfielder Amadou Onana of Aston Villa underwent surgery in Lyon on Tuesday for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Medical sources indicate he will be sidelined for nine months. The 24-year-old, who previously played for Hamburg, Lille, and Everton, will complete his rehabilitation with Aston Villa's medical staff. Onana, a key player for Belgium with 33 caps, sustained the injury on July 7 in Seattle during the Red Devils' 4-1 World Cup quarter-final victory against the United States, exiting the match after twenty minutes. Coach Rudi Garcia had expressed concerns about a serious injury at the time. The surgery was performed by Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet at the H么pital priv茅 Jean-Mermoz in Lyon.
Former Cameroonian international goalkeeper Joseph-Antoine Bell offered a critical analysis of Senegal's elimination from the World Cup, attributing the team's difficulties to organizational problems that predated their on-field performance. Speaking on a sports program, the former Indomitable Lions goalkeeper highlighted dysfunctions surrounding the Senegalese squad during the competition. He stated that internal problems, including tensions and controversies related to the technical staff, were alarming signals. Bell emphasized that when a team arrives at a World Cup with publicly exposed internal issues, it reveals deep organizational failures, making it difficult to contend for a world title. He believes players alone are not responsible for underperformance, as the working environment and preparation conditions are crucial. Bell noted that if preparation is deficient, it inevitably impacts performance on the field, leading him to describe Senegal as a "paper lion." He also cited logistical shortcomings, such as travel, administrative formalities, accommodation, and catering, which he deemed incompatible with the demands of such a high-level competition. Beyond Senegal, Bell sees these issues as reflecting recurring weaknesses in African football, noting that other major African teams like Cameroon, Nigeria, and Togo have faced similar problems. He urged African federations to learn from these repeated failures, stressing that continental successes should not obscure stru
Must ReadThe UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR announced that 144 people have died or are missing at sea off the coast of Mauritania in the past week. These incidents occurred on the migration route from West Africa to Europe. One vessel, which departed from Bufalo, Gambia, intending to reach Spain, was rescued on July 18 after drifting for nearly 25 days in the Atlantic Ocean. Of the 181 people on board, only 38 survived, with 143 others dead or missing. The UNHCR also reported another death among passengers from a vessel that disembarked on July 14, bringing the total number of victims to 144 for this period. Matthew Saltmarsh, UNHCR spokesperson, stated that these tragedies highlight the significant human cost on this migratory route. Between July 14 and 18, three rescue and disembarkation operations in Nouadhibou, Mauritania, saved 387 people. The UNHCR notes that the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands remains one of the deadliest globally due to long distances, unpredictable weather, overcrowded boats, and difficulties in rapid rescue. Despite a 61% decrease in arrivals to the Canary Islands compared to 2025, with approximately 4,400 arrivals recorded by July 15, 2025, many migrants continue to take considerable risks to reach Europe. Since the beginning of the year, over 40,000 people have arrived in Europe via major maritime routes. In Mauritania, 17 disembarkation operations have been recorded in Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, assisting 2,147 people since January 2025. Thi