Xavier Barret criticizes Kalidou Koulibaly's performance in World Cup

Xavier Barret, a consultant for Radio Foot Internationale and France 24, expressed his disappointment following Senegal's 3-2 loss to Norway. Barret stated that Koulibaly's performance has been "quite mediocre" since the beginning of the tournament, including a difficult match against France, which led coach Pape Thiaw to substitute him despite his captaincy. Barret attributes Koulibaly's struggles to a complicated season in Saudi Arabia and physical issues that have prevented him from reaching his best form.

He also suggested that the Senegalese coach should have addressed the situation earlier. Despite the loss to Norway, Senegal still has a chance to advance in the competition, needing a significant victory against Iraq in their final group match to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.