An early farewell... Koulibaly: I won’t be playing in the World Cup at this age

In a statement that sounded like an early farewell, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly hinted that his participation in the 2026 World Cup could be his last in the ‘Black Teranga’ shirt, paving the way for a new generation to take over in the Senegalese national team.

Koulibaly, 34, who currently plays for Saudi side Al-Hilal, said in an interview with the Senegalese website “Media Car”: “I think this will be my last World Cup; I won’t be playing in the World Cup when I’m 39.”

Koulibaly, who has 103 international caps and is a two-time African champion, added: “There are young players who aspire to join the national team, and they deserve to be part of it. We’ll see what happens after the World Cup.”

The Lions’ captain, who recently celebrated ten years with the national team, continued: “Firstly, we’ll approach this tournament calmly, support the young players, and be there for them for as long as possible.”

He added: “When the time is right, we will hand over the baton. I haven’t decided yet; I have a rough idea, but we’ll see. I don’t like to talk about the future, but we know we’re nearing the end.”

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This statement comes just a few weeks after Sadio Mané hinted that the 2026 World Cup would likely be his last as well, meaning the Senegalese national team could lose two of its most prominent figures in the coming years.

Koulibaly has been a mainstay of Senegal’s defence for over a decade, playing a major role in the team’s two Africa Cup of Nations triumphs, and is regarded as one of the greatest defenders in the history of Senegalese football.

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