Senegal’s Soccer Victory Is So Much More Than a Soccer Victory

There are moments when the success of a sports team can transfix a nation. Such moments provide respite from difficult circumstances and can offer a sense of hope that permeates people’s everyday lives. Senegal winning its first-ever Africa Cup of Nations yesterday in Cameroon is such a moment.

Senegal is a country where soccer is everywhere. Take a walk along the beaches of Dakar, the capital city, and you will likely find a group of people playing. If it is low tide and the shore is dry, sand will spit up behind players’ feet as they chase the ball, and everyone’s legs will be freckled in brown grains. If it