There will be worse collapses at this World Cup. Probably. But right now, with Pape Thiaw's face still burned into the broadcast, it's hard to imagine one that hurts quite like this. Senegal were two goals up with five minutes to play against Belgium — and they are out. Youri Tielemans converted the decisive penalty in extra time to send one of Africa's finest sides home in the most brutal fashion possible.
Senegal had Belgium exactly where they wanted them. Two goals to the good, the clock ticking past the 85th minute, a place in the next round almost in touching distance. Then it unravelled — completely, catastrophically, in the kind of sequence that will be replayed on football timelines for years.
Belgium pulled one back, then found an equaliser deep in added time to force extra time. Tielemans, composed when composure felt almost obscene, stepped up and put the penalty away. Senegal were eliminated 3-2 after extra time — confirmed by both Foot Mercato and BBC Sport.
Editorial note on match stage: The key facts below list this as a Round of 16 fixture pending final verification of the bracket position — editors should confirm against the official FIFA 2026 schedule and update if required.
Pape Thiaw did not hide it. The Senegal head coach's expression at the final whistle was the kind of raw, unfiltered emotion that no media training in the world can prepare a manager for. You don't rehearse for losing a two-goal lead in the last five minutes of a World Cup knockout game. You just stand there.
Foot Mercato described Thiaw's demeanour as one of visible dejection — a man who had watched something impossible happen in real time and still hadn't fully processed it. Which, to be fair, is exactly what he had done.
Senegal arrived at this World Cup as one of the continent's genuine contenders — AFCON pedigree, a squad built around quality and physicality, and enough belief to push any side in the tournament. To exit like this, not through a lack of effort or a shortage of quality, but through a collapse that defied the logic of the scoreboard, is the kind of thing that follows a generation of players.
Belgium, for their part, showed exactly why tournament football rewards sides that simply refuse to accept the game is over. They were dead and buried at 85 minutes. They are through.
The margin between those two realities was Tielemans and a penalty spot.
There will be worse collapses at this World Cup. Probably. But right now, with Pape Thiaw's face still burned into the broadcast, it's hard to imagine one that hurts quite like this.
Fuentes
Foot Mercato
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