Elhadji Diouf was handed the National Flag…

Before every competition, the captain of every National Team is given the flag as a symbol of responsibility for the battles to come. Aside from the barbaric and historic memories, this tradition is always a great way to send off the team and make them understand that the whole country will be behind them and that they have the reponsibilities towards them. It’s always entertaining to see the President struggle to say the names of the players and tease them on their funny haircuts. We know he’s not a football fan but still seeing him confuse Diouf and Beye the last time was priceless. After Aliou Cissé in 2002, Pape Malick Diop in 2004 and Ferdinand Coly in 2006, Elhadji Diouf received a flag way too big from the hands of the President.
Politically speaking, things are on. The president was uncharacteristically short on this speech:

“I would like to exhort you to give your best to defend the national colours with determination, intelligence and courage. I would like to remind you that you no more will be fighting for your respective careers but for the honour and the pride of the nation. You know what this flag means and you will no doubt have in heart to defend it and to put it at its highest. No effort will be too much for that task. Go gaindés (Lions), Ca Kanam, Ca Kanam, Ca Kanam (further, further, further…).”

This is another one of the videos of this CAN countdown showing the little banquet as well as a little reportage in the markets of the capital where a lot of money is being made and even though the resellers are complaining that they haven’t received the new jerseys, the old ones are selling like hot cakes, Elhadji Diouf and Mamadou Niang being best sellers.