Announced in Senegal’s squad for the September gathering, Andy Diouf will ultimately not join the den of the Teranga Lions. On RFI, the young midfielder explained the reasons behind his decision to decline the call from his father’s country.
A young prodigy from Racing Club de Lens, Andy Diouf started the season remarkably, raising high expectations among Senegal’s Lions supporters, who hoped to see him included in coach Aliou Cissé’s squad. A dream that will not be realized. The gathering of the Teranga Lions in preparation for the friendly match against Algeria in Diamniadio next week began without the presence of the Lens player.
Coach Aliou Cissé had made efforts to attract the 20-year-old midfielder, who hails from Neuilly-sur-Seine and was born to a Senegalese father. However, the Franco-Senegalese player chose to answer the call of Thierry Henry, the new coach of the French U21 national team.
In an interview with RFI, the RC Lens player shared his thoughts on the interest shown in him by Senegal. “I acknowledge that they approached me, whether it’s me, my advisor, or my family. It’s a complex situation for me because I have inherited both my mother’s and my father’s cultures. However, I have gone through all my youth classes in France. Therefore, my goal is clear: to make it to the U21 or senior national team,” he explained.
This decision is likely to provoke reactions among Senegalese fans who had high expectations for Andy Diouf and were eager to see him play for the Senegal national team.
