TSenegal’s President Bachirou-Diomaie Fay has rewarded the players of Senegal’s national team, the Lions of Teranga, with a payout of 75 million CFA francs (approximately 115,000 euros) and a plot of land for each player, for winning the second African Cup of Nations in Morocco on Sunday, a victory that sparked national euphoria.
“I presented 75 million CFA francs to each Lion present,” the president said at the Palace of the Republic, adding that they would also receive 1,500 square meters of land in Petit Coutet (Little Coast in French), a popular area of the Senegalese coastline south of the capital Dakar.
Kylian Mbapp coaches Thibaut Courtois with a great goal
I gave each lion a gift of 75 million CFA francs
According to local media, Fay also announced prize money and a small piece of land for the leadership of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) and all members of the country’s African Cup of Nations delegation, as well as a total of 305 million CFA francs (about 500,000 euros) for the Ministry of Sports.
In addition, national team coach Pape Tiao and the rest of the team were awarded Senegal’s highest honor, the National Order of the Lion, in a solemn ceremony.
The president welcomed the athletes after they paraded through the streets of Dakar and presented trophies to thousands of citizens. The route included the Pat Dua (Gooseleg) district, the city’s heart and a place where large processions were common.
In an open-top bus decorated in the national colors of green, red and yellow, national team captain Sadio Mane and his teammates celebrated amid cheers from their compatriots as fans sang and danced to the beat of traditional drums.
The champions arrived in Dakar early on Monday morning and Fay greeted them at the airport, saying they were “heroic” and “played beautiful football.”
