It was a day of celebration in Senegal after President Macky Sall declared a public holiday Monday to celebrate the national team's first Africa Cup of Nations title following their victory against Egypt.
Tens of thousands of Senegalese fans lined the streets and crowded the airport as the victorious team returned to Dakar late on Monday.
Sadio Mane converted the winning penalty in a 4-2 shootout victory over Egypt at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Sunday, denying the Pharaohs a record-extending eighth continental title.
President Sall, who was due to visit Comoros, cancelled his plans in order to welcome the Lions on their return. The national team will be decorated by the President on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Dakar, RTS television said.
Mane was under immense pressure in his showdown with Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah after his seventh-minute penalty was saved in the title match.
However, after the final finished 0-0 in extra time, Mane became a national hero by converting the decisive spot-kick in the shootout. Salah did not even get a chance to take a shot.
"You know what made the difference when I missed the first penalty? All my teammates came up to me and said 'Who cares, we are a team, we win together and we lose together'," Mane said.
Victory in the final was particularly sweet for Senegal after years of underachievement. Africa's top-ranked national team and 20th in the world, Senegal lost the last Cup of Nations final in 2019, falling 1-0 to Algeria in Cairo. They also lost the 2002 final on penalties to Samuel Eto'o and Cameroon, a few months before becoming one of just three African teams to reach a World Cup quarter-final.
Manager Aliou Cisse was captain then and coach in 2019. It was third time lucky for him, while Mane was one of four survivors from the last final to start against Egypt.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will now fly to Abu Dhabi to link up with Chelsea, who take on Al Hilal in the semi-finals of the Fifa Club World Cup on Wednesday.
Chelsea train in Abu Dhabi
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Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech training in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Fifa Club World Cup. All images by Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Chelsea's Ross Barkley training in Abu Dhabi. -
Chelsea defenders Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta. -
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku stretching with teammates. -
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante at training. -
Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz during training. -
Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah passes the ball at training. -
Chelsea assistant coach Arno Michels. -
Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger stretching during training. -
Timo Werner with his Chelsea teammates. -
Chelsea training in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Fifa Club World Cup. -
Chelsea's Kai Havertz. -
Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante. -
Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah. -
Chelsea training in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Fifa Club World Cup. -
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, centre, at training. -
Chelsea attacker Ross Barkley. -
Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah. -
Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech shares a joke with Romelu Lukaku. -
Chelsea assistant coach Arno Michels talks to the squad at training. -
Chelsea's Andreas Christensen. -
Chelsea wingback Reece James. -
Chelsea train ahead of the Fifa Club World Cup. -
Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku.
