France head coach Didier Deschamps rejected the idea of revenge ahead of his side’s rematch with Senegal at the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, saying the 2002 defeat is too far in the past to influence the current squad.
Deschamps recalled the run of events in 2002 when Papa Bouba Diop’s lone goal in Seoul handed Senegal a shock win in the African nation’s first World Cup appearance and contributed to France’s early exit. The coach, a member of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning team, noted he was retired by the time of the 2002 tournament.
Speaking at Monday’s pre-match press conference, Deschamps said people like to use the word revenge but that there is none in football. He added that the match was 24 years ago, that many current players were not yet born in 2002, and that even the squad’s oldest player, N’Golo Kanté, may not have watched that game. Deschamps acknowledged he had seen the 2002 match but was not present at the tournament.
The French coach praised the quality of the current Senegal side, noting their continental successes and the calibre of their players. Senegal won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022 and again claimed the continental crown earlier this year before that result was overturned by a Confederation of African Football Appeal Board ruling in March. Deschamps highlighted the presence of players with success in Europe’s top competitions, citing names such as Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye, and referenced Sadio Mané’s African Footballer of the Year accolade following El Hadji Diouf.
Deschamps described Senegal as one of the best African teams and among the world’s top sides, saying they possess attacking quality, an outstanding midfield, athletic intensity and technical skill. He called the fixture a high-level duel and declined to draw direct comparisons between generations, noting the 2002 team did what was required then while stressing that the current Senegal squad is a formidable opponent.
