Senegal forward Ismaïla Sarr praised his teammates after the Teranga Lions thrashed Iraq 5-0 to keep their FIFA World Cup hopes alive, while also celebrating a historic personal milestone. Sarr scored Senegal's second goal of the match, taking his World Cup tally to four and becoming his country's all-time leading scorer in the tournament's history. The landmark strike moved him ahead of the late Papa Bouba Diop, cementing his place among Senegal's football greats.
Team Success Comes First
Despite the individual achievement, Sarr insisted the team's success remained his top priority. “This was a game we had to win, and we did it,” Sarr said after the victory. “We wanted to score more because you never know. Congratulations to the team. We did an excellent job today.” The 28-year-old also expressed delight at contributing on the scoresheet but stressed that every player shares the same commitment to representing Senegal. “I'm very happy to have scored for my team. I'm happy for the others, too. We are here for the national team, and we are doing everything we can for it,” he added.
Historic Achievement
Sarr's latest goal continues an outstanding World Cup campaign after he netted twice against Norway, becoming the first Senegalese player to score in two different World Cups before surpassing Diop's long-standing national record. With Senegal's convincing victory keeping their qualification hopes alive, Sarr's leadership and clinical finishing have emerged as key factors in the Teranga Lions' bid to reach the knockout stage.
