2026 World Cup: Ismaïla Sarr, the silent revenge

For a long time, he was made to pay for what he was not. Arriving in the national team in 2016 through the door left ajar by Sadio Mané, trained at Génération Foot and then launched at Metz, Sarr carried for years the label of the designated successor. A comparison that never did him any favors. He ran faster than everyone, broke through defensive lines with a single touch, but in crucial moments, the final move often slipped away from him. Against France, in the opening match of this World Cup, the story repeated itself. Just before halftime, alone in front of goal, he missed his volley. The kind of chance that could have changed the outcome of a match, and once again confirmed the doubts people had about him.

The Price of Comparison

What stands out with Sarr is the consistency with which he has been present without ever fully establishing himself in the Senegalese narrative. More than 80 caps, three World Cup finals appearances, a CAN won in 2021 where he scored a decisive goal in the quarter-finals against Equatorial Guinea upon returning from injury, and yet he never became the face of that historic triumph, nor of the next one in 2026 in Morocco, where he started the final on the bench. Senegal celebrated Mané, Koulibaly, Édouard Mendy. Sarr, for his part, remained the player people associated more with his misses than his achievements. An injustice statistically as well as athletically, since his true contribution often surpassed what he was credited for.

The turning point came elsewhere, far from the Senegalese spotlight. After an unsuccessful stint at Olympique de Marseille, where he never found his place, he set course for England and Crystal Palace. A less prestigious club on paper, but one that gave him what he was lacking: a defined role and the trust of a coach who built his project around him. The result was seen this season, the best of his career, capped by a first European trophy with the Eagles in the Conference League, a competition in which he finished as top scorer with 9 goals and was named best player.

This renewed confidence at club level eventually rubbed off on the national team. Against Norway, in a match Senegal still lost, Sarr scored twice and became the first Senegalese player to score in two different World Cup editions. Against Iraq, he did it again. Three goals and an assist later, he surpassed Papa Bouba Diop’s historical tally and stands alone atop Senegal's World Cup goalscoring chart. In the space of two matches, the man once judged by his failure against France became a reference point.

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A Leader Who Doesn't Look the Part

What makes Sarr’s journey unique is that he hasn’t changed his nature to become this important player. He remains discreet off the pitch, far removed from Mané’s natural stature or the charisma of this generation’s veteran leaders. His authority doesn’t show in words. You see it in his consistent efforts, in the last-minute sprints while others slow down, in his ability to keep asking for the ball even after missing the tournament’s most-watched chance.

Pape Thiaw, who has made him one of the key pieces in his attacking setup, no longer hides his expectations for Sarr. Questioned in a press conference before facing Belgium, the coach expressed hope to see him continue his momentum. A wish that now seems almost obvious, as Sarr appears, for the first time in his international career, to be in full possession of his abilities just when he’s needed most.

On the other side, Belgium has been warned. At 28, the 1.85-meter winger finishes his club season with 21 goals in all competitions and arrives at this round of sixteen in the form of his life. Long considered someone else's understudy, Ismaïla Sarr no longer needs anyone else to make his mark on Senegalese football history. He’s writing it himself, one goal at a time.