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·3 July 2026

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has moved to clarify statements he made following his team’s thrilling World Cup comeback win against Senegal, after many interpreted his post-match comments as being critical of African football.

Belgium pulled off a remarkable turnaround in their round of 32 encounter on Wednesday, coming from two goals down to beat Senegal 3-2 with a decisive strike deep in extra time.

Senegal appeared to be in control at 2-0 with just five minutes left in regulation, before Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans struck late to force extra time. Tielemans then converted a penalty in the 125th minute, confirming Belgium’s place in the next round where they will meet the United States on Monday in Seattle.

Immediately after the final whistle, Garcia told broadcasters: “We know those teams, they lose their tactical structure towards the end of the match.”

Expanding on his tactical analysis, Garcia added: “We also knew that at 2-0 (up) they would do everything to protect their goal, which in my opinion is a grave mistake. Remind me when we’re leading 2-0 not to do that.”

Youri Tielemans netted a dramatic winner for Belgium late in extra time.

The 62-year-old French coach’s words were quickly perceived by some as a slight on the tactical discipline of African teams. Garcia later issued a clarification on Instagram, stating that his comments were not directed at African football.

“When I spoke of ‘those teams’, I was referring to teams that are not used to managing a lead in high-pressure World Cup situations. My comments were in no way aimed at African teams,” he explained.

He further noted that his observations “could just as easily apply to Asian, South American or European teams unfamiliar with such pressure. As a less experienced coach myself, I learned the hard way that halting play to defend a result at all costs is counterproductive.”

Statistics firm Opta soon pointed out Garcia’s own history, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that during his career in French football, his teams had surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose on three occasions in Ligue 1.

Garcia, who guided Lille to a league and French Cup double in 2011, has also managed Marseille, Lyon, Roma, and Napoli before being appointed Belgium’s head coach in January last year.