Member of the “2002 Golden Generation” that played the first final of the Africa Cup of Nations and qualified Senegal for the first FIFA World Cup in their history, the Legend Khalilou Fadiga traced a new furrow on Tuesday.
Fadiga waited for the inauguration of the new Diamniadio stadium (Stade du Sénégal) named after the former Senegalese head of state, Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012) to score the first goal on this playing ground with a shot outside the box area.
The Senegal’s Number 10 also known as “Le Gaucher magique (the Magic Left-hander)” by the Senegalese media, chose his time and his day to open the scoring in a Legends match in the presence of the highest personalities.
History will also remember that on this 22.02.2022, the African Legends came in droves led by captain Okocha (Nigeria). And they equalized later on the game.
The team of African Legends was enhanced by the presence of top figures as Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon) and Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire).
40,000 people made the trip to attend the inauguration of the brand new stadium.
Previously, CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe congratulated the Senegalese authorities, specially President Macky Sall, for having offered this jewel to the youth of his country and recalled the final of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
“The victory of Sadio Mané and his teammates is the victory of African football,” said President Motsepe.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sounded the same trumpet of thanks to the Senegalese authorities stating that this new stadium “is a real gem, one of the most beautiful stadiums I have seen, not only in Africa, but in the whole world”‘, he said, under the nourished ovations of the public.
Macky Sall reaffirmed his government’s desire to pursue the policy of rehabilitation of sports infrastructure in Dakar and in the regions.
“In addition to this gem, we have the ongoing rehabilitation program for the Léopold Sédar Senghor, Demba Diop, Iba Mar Diop, Ely Manel Fall de Diourbel, Lamine Gueye de Kaolack and Aline Sitoé Diatta de Ziguinchor stadiums,” said Macky Sall.
The Senegalese Head of State spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the Stade du Senegal alongside his counterparts from Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, from Rwanda, Paul Kagame, from Turkey, Recep Tayyim Erdogan , from Liberia George Weah, from Gambia, Adama Barrow and from Guinea-Bissau, Umaru Sissoko Embalo.
The stadium named after the former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, was built in seventeen months by a Turkish company.
For Macky Sall, the infrastructure is an invitation to “continue the path towards excellence”.
