France-Senegal: The truthful face-off between Khalilou Fadiga and David Trezeguet before the big night

In 2002, Khalilou Fadiga's Senegal defeated David Trezeguet's France, the reigning world champions, in Seoul during the opening match of the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. A cataclysmic defeat for France, the beginning of a rich international history for Senegal.

On the eve of the reunion between the two nations, the two former strikers recalled for AFP the "lack of respect" felt at the time by the Lions of Teranga and the "end of a cycle" that the Blues had not anticipated.

Question: What was each person's state of mind before the meeting?

Khalilou Fadiga : “From the day of the draw, Bruno Metsu, our coach, explained to us that the match had already begun. Reading the articles that came out, we realized the ignorance of the French coaches and managers of the time regarding Senegal. It was almost insulting; three-quarters of us had been trained in France, we played in the French league. We were dual nationals. So we played on that very strong sense of patriotism.”

David Trezeguet : “We were aware of our strengths. Aware that after 1998 and 2000, our team was in place and that it was there to win the tournament. But we all also knew that, in football, everything can change very quickly. The defeat against Senegal reminded us of that brutally. They made things difficult for us. At the time, we have to admit that we didn't know them very well. We understood too late that in football, mistakes are not an option. You have to be ready for every match.”

Question: When during the match did you feel that the game belonged to you, or on the contrary, that it was slipping away from you?

Khalilou Fadiga : “First of all, we weren’t aiming for a miracle; we wanted to go all the way in this World Cup. We weren’t just there for the match against France; we wanted to beat every team. So, during the match, we kept telling ourselves, ‘We have to keep playing,’ quite simply, using our strengths, using our power. We didn’t give up. As long as the referee hadn’t blown the whistle, we were still in the game.”

David Trezeguet : "Tactically, the match was complex. We had chances, we even hit the post, but my friend Tony Silva, whom I knew from Monaco (the Senegalese goalkeeper), had a very good game. Very quickly, we didn't feel comfortable in the match. And on a counter-attack, Senegal scored. From then on, the game became even more difficult. We never managed to find the solutions we needed."

Question: What did this victory change for Senegalese football, and what did this defeat change for French football?

Khalilou Fadiga : "We earned the respect of those who didn't know us. The African continent knew us; the players and managers of our respective clubs knew us and respected us. But this victory allowed us to put things back in their proper place. Some people looked down on us, and this victory helped set things right."

David Trezeguet: "Without realizing it, after the victories of 1998 in the World Cup and 2000 at the Euros, we were perhaps reaching the end of a cycle. After the defeat against Senegal, we were still aiming to qualify, but we didn't manage it. After the competition, there were changes, as is necessary in all national teams."

Question: What is your perspective on your respective selections today?

Khalilou Fadiga: "Just like with us in 2002, I tell them not to focus on the France match. My main wish is that they finish the work we started and that they can go all the way in the competition."

David Trezeguet : "The current French team has everything it takes to go all the way, with a top-level coach. They obviously need to be wary, especially since they face Senegal in their first match, just like we did in 2002. But unlike my generation, they must have a bit of a sense of revenge, if only because of the final they lost four years ago in Qatar."

Interview by Léo Huisman and Pablo Melian (AFP)