Pocket Prophecy: Senegal Repeats Controversial Gesture Before Egypt Showdown

Controversial gesture resurfaces ahead of AFCON clash

Senegal's players reignited the debate ahead of their highly anticipated meeting with Egypt by repeating the "pocket" celebration during Tuesday's training for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Tangier.

In the final training drill, the players who featured in the winning side celebrated with the same gesture that sparked wide debate at Monday's session.

This act comes as Senegal shows a recent edge over Egypt in their last meetings, inviting broad interpretation and fueling social media reactions amid heightened sensitivities surrounding their rivalry.

As a video of the moment circulated on the Senegalese Football Federation's pages with the caption "Winners in training today," questions linger about intent before one of the tournament's hottest clashes.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan, speaking at a press conference ahead of the match, said he was pleased by the clips, arguing they prove the opponents' fear of facing Egypt.

He added that facing Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations always carries a sense of trepidation, and that such clips could become extra motivation for the Pharaohs.

"I am happy with the videos circulating of Senegal's players," Hassan said, "because this shows they fear facing Egypt."

He also noted that the pre-match chatter will only fuel his team, insisting that such moments can be turned into a spur for Egypt's performance.

The federation and the players themselves have not publicly retracted the gesture, leaving fans debating whether the celebration was playful banter or a sign of disrespect.

Punchlines:

Punchline 1: If confidence were a goal, Senegal would have scored from midfield; Egypt's goalkeeper might want earplugs for the post-match press conference.

Punchline 2: If pre-match hype were a shot, these clips just fired—Egypt, bring a bigger net to catch the memes!