Senegal’s comeback star dismisses teammate’s poisoning claims before AFCON final vs. Morocco
25 January 2026
Gueye denies poisoning claims
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye denied teammate Ismail Jakobs' claim that the Lions of Teranga were subjected to a poisoning attempt before the Africa Cup of Nations final 2025 against host Morocco, which Senegal won 1-0 in extra time.
Gueye, speaking to the Senegalese channel Feeling Dakar, said: “We always travel with our own chef, and we eat well.”
Jakobs, a defender for the Senegal squad, had stated that three of his teammates fell ill suddenly before the final, and the timing and severity of the symptoms raised doubts.
He added that this setback led to the absence of key players from the starting lineup, such as Krépin Diatta and Ousmane Niane, with the latter forced to leave the warm-up and return to the dressing room, while Pape Sarr collapsed during the first half.
The final saw major refereeing controversy, prompting Senegal to temporarily withdraw to the dressing rooms after a penalty for Morocco, which was missed by Real Madrid forward Ibrahim Diaz.
Sniper punchline 1: If the soup was poisoned, at least the taste test didn’t show up on the scoreboard—the goal still belonged to Senegal.
Sniper punchline 2: In football as in comedy, the truth usually isn’t served hot; it’s delivered with a whistle and a wink.
