Senegal Captain Kalidou Koulibaly Pays Tribute to Late Legend Papa Diop By Wearing Special Armband

Senegal Captain Kalidou Koulibaly Pays Tribute to Late Legend Papa Diop By Wearing Special Armband

Lukman Mumuni
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:18 PM
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  • Kalidou Koulibaly has paid a heartwarming tribute to former Senegal player Papa Bouba Diop
  • The former Fulham, Portsmouth and Birmingham forward died two years ago after an illness
  • Koulibaly netted the winner for Senegal to make the last 16 of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly wore a special armband to pay tribute to the late Papa Bouba Diop, who had passed away exactly two years ago to the day.

The Chelsea star wrote 19 on his armband, the jersey number of the legendary forward.

Koulibaly netted the winner, as the African champions beat Ecuador in the final Group A game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal, World Cup, Papa Diop
Kalidou Koulibaly has worn a special armband to pay tribute to late Papa Bouba Diop. Credit: @FIFAcom Getty Images
Source: Twitter

The Lions of Teranga sealed qualification to the last 16 with a 2-1 victory over the South Americans at the Khalifa Stadium.

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Diop died on November 29, 2020 at the age of 42, after losing his battle with illness.

The legendary striker scored Senegal's first -goal at the World Cup, netting the winner against France at the 2002 tournament.

Diop enjoyed a successful career playing for Fulham, Portsmouth and Birmingham in England.

Senegal fans tribute Papa Diop

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Senegal legend Diop was remembered by fans, during their crunch World Cup group A clash against Ecuador.

Diop passed away in late 2020, with reports at the time claiming he lost his life after a lengthy battle with illness.

He is fondly remembered by veteran Senegal fans, having represented the nation in the 2002 World Cup, where they fell short to Uruguay on penalties.

Koulibaly scores first Senegal goal

Chelsea defender Koulibaly was Senegal's hero on November 29, with his first international career goal giving the African champions the victory over Ecuador.

Senegalese fans all over the world are now celebrating their win over the South Americans, after Koulibaly proved himself a worthy captain of his national team.

Going into this encounter, the Teranga Lions knew that they needed a win to reach the round of 16 at the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Authors
Lukman Mumuni photo
Lukman Mumuni
Lukman Abdul Mumin is a Sports Journalist based in Accra, Ghana. He has been writing for the past five years. Lukman joined Sports Brief as an Editor for the Local Desk in 2022.