Senegal End Longstanding Drought to Become First African Team to Defeat England
By: Gyang Dakwo
Senegal made football history on Tuesday night by becoming the first African nation to beat England, sealing a remarkable 3-1 victory at the City Ground in Nottingham.
The Lions of Teranga came from behind to hand Thomas Tuchel his first defeat as England manager. It was also the first time the Three Lions had ever lost to a team from Africa in international football, breaking a long-standing record dating back decades.
England had never lost to an African national team in official matches across friendlies and competitive tournaments, until the game against Senegal on June 10, 2025.
Their previous record stood at 20 matches against African sides, with 14 wins, 6 draws, and zero losses. This included 7 meetings at FIFA World Cups (4 wins, 3 draws), the most recent being a 3–0 victory over Senegal in the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
England had gone ahead early in the match, looking to bounce back from their disappointing performance against Andorra. In the seventh minute, Eberechi Eze won the ball and linked up smartly with Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea midfielder played in Anthony Gordon, whose shot was parried by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Harry Kane was quick to react and fired home the rebound to give the hosts the lead.
Senegal responded with composure and intensity. Just before half-time, they pulled level when Nicolas Jackson beat the offside trap and delivered a low cross for Ismaila Sarr, who slotted the ball past Dean Henderson.
After the break, Senegal continued to push. Their pressure paid off in the 62nd minute when Habib Diarra took advantage of another long ball over England’s defence and found the net with a powerful shot from a tight angle.
England thought they had equalised in the 84th minute when Jude Bellingham tapped in from close range, but the goal was ruled out after the referee judged that Levi Colwill had handled the ball in the buildup.
The visitors sealed the victory in added time. Curtis Jones lost possession deep in midfield, allowing Lamine Camara to break forward quickly. He found Cheikh Sabaly, who controlled the pass and calmly finished to put the result beyond doubt.
Senegal’s win extended their unbeaten run to an impressive 24 matches, underlining their growing reputation as one of Africa’s strongest footballing nations.
After the match, England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his side were not good enough. “Disappointing result. I am not sure if we did not deserve a little bit more result-wise,” he said. “We seemed a bit frozen again and not active enough for a long time in the match. We conceded very easy goals and need to defend better.”
Senegal’s historic win will be remembered as a landmark moment not just for the team, but for African football as a whole. It ends a long wait for a victory over England and sends a clear message ahead of upcoming international tournaments.
