Senegal’s 2026 World Cup dream ended in the cruelest way possible: a penalty conceded in stoppage time. Lamine Camara fouled Belgium’s Youri Tielemans inside the box on July 1, the referee pointed to the spot after a video review, and that was that.
Belgium converted. Senegal went home. An entire nation’s tournament, reduced to one moment of contact in the 90th-plus minute.
The foul that changed everything
The match was tight throughout, the kind of grinding Round of 32 affair where a single mistake decides everything. Camara provided that mistake. His challenge on Tielemans in the penalty area drew a whistle, and the referee subsequently consulted the video assistant referee before confirming the call.
Belgium buried the penalty and advanced, leaving Senegal to process what might have been. The Teranga Lions had shown flashes of real quality earlier in the tournament, including a commanding 5-0 demolition of Iraq during the group stage.
