It was a day of celebration in Senegal after President Macky Sall declared a public holiday Monday to celebrate the national team's first Africa Cup of Nations title following their victory against Egypt.
Tens of thousands of Senegalese fans lined the streets and crowded the airport as the victorious team returned to Dakar late on Monday.
Sadio Mane converted the winning penalty in a 4-2 shootout victory over Egypt at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Sunday, denying the Pharaohs a record-extending eighth continental title.
President Sall, who was due to visit Comoros, cancelled his plans in order to welcome the Lions on their return. The national team will be decorated by the President on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Dakar, RTS television said.
Mane was under immense pressure in his showdown with Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah after his seventh-minute penalty was saved in the title match.
However, after the final finished 0-0 in extra time, Mane became a national hero by converting the decisive spot-kick in the shootout. Salah did not even get a chance to take a shot.
"You know what made the difference when I missed the first penalty? All my teammates came up to me and said 'Who cares, we are a team, we win together and we lose together'," Mane said.
Victory in the final was particularly sweet for Senegal after years of underachievement. Africa's top-ranked national team and 20th in the world, Senegal lost the last Cup of Nations final in 2019, falling 1-0 to Algeria in Cairo. They also lost the 2002 final on penalties to Samuel Eto'o and Cameroon, a few months before becoming one of just three African teams to reach a World Cup quarter-final.
Manager Aliou Cisse was captain then and coach in 2019. It was third time lucky for him, while Mane was one of four survivors from the last final to start against Egypt.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will now fly to Abu Dhabi to link up with Chelsea, who take on Al Hilal in the semi-finals of the Fifa Club World Cup on Wednesday.
Chelsea train in Abu Dhabi
