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On Friday, March 20, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) released a statement addressing the uproar among fans over the new jerseys of the Lions of Teranga. The jerseys, which feature only one star despite the team's continental triumph, have stirred controversy, especially in light of the CAF appeal jury's decision that complicated the matter.
The federation clarified that the jersey production commenced in August 2025 by their supplier, Puma, long before the latest Africa Cup of Nations. «Manufacturing schedules and industrial constraints made it impossible to halt the process,» the FSF stated, assuring fans that jerseys with a second star are «in production» and will be available by September.
This explanation is met with skepticism. In similar scenarios, Adidas swiftly adapted its production for major titles, like for the French team in 1998 and Spain in 2010. After France's World Cup victory on July 15, 2018, Nike had adjusted its production, with the JDD reporting a mere three-week delay for the two-star jerseys to hit French stores.
Beyond the industrial reasoning, the FSF's communication appears to be more of a «damage control» effort. The CAF appeal jury's decision, which awarded the match to Morocco after Senegal left the pitch, officially nullifies the claimed title. This could legally bind the supplier if a star were added prematurely.
Embarrassingly, the FSF's statement sidesteps this issue, opting instead to highlight the «legitimate attachment of the Senegalese people to their symbol's» and to apologize for «any misunderstanding.»
In Rabat, such dilemmas are avoided: Morocco has never included an AFCON-related star on its jersey, thus steering clear of similar controversies.
