Senegal's media consensus turned decisively against Papa Thiaw following the dramatic collapse against Belgium. L'Observateur headlined simply "Pap, Ciao!" while other outlets questioned whether the coach should retain his position.
The Yoor-Yoor newspaper stated: "This historic upheaval resulted not from the players' performance but from catastrophic tactical and staffing decisions by the coach. By retreating deep to his goal and creating an atmosphere of fear through illogical substitutions—particularly the disastrous replacement of Papa Gueye with Lamina Kamara, who proved completely unprepared—the manager literally destroyed his team's heroic efforts."
Senegal's defensive approach when leading 2-0 created space for Belgium's comeback, with late substitutions failing to shore up defensive control. The tactical collapse overshadowed Senegal's impressive group stage campaign and first-ever World Cup qualification achievement.
Thiaw's future with the federation remains uncertain as Senegal faces organizational changes following the tournament exit. The coaching instability could affect squad cohesion and performance in upcoming African and World Cup qualifying competitions.