DAKAR – Senegal’s president congratulated the Lions of Teranga on Tuesday for their “historic” victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco, after tens of thousands of football fans crowded the streets of Dakar for a celebratory homecoming parade.

The team brandished their trophy from an open-top bus for more than seven hours as they inched their way across the capital and past immense mobs of fans, finally reaching the presidential palace at dusk.

In a ceremony, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told the players they had “demonstrated exceptional fighting spirit, extraordinary resilience, and an iron will, and that is what makes your victory historic”.

Downtown was overcome by a fever pitch of almost deafening noise – revving engines, horns, vuvuzelas and shouting – as the players arrived for the reception.

All day throngs of especially younger fans crowded the streets with electric energy, chanting, whistling, waving flags, dancing and blowing vuvuzelas.

Some walked or even ran alongside the bus, while multitudes lined the sidewalks, sometimes watching from buildings and bridges, or even climbing on top of cars and billboards to get a view.

Senegal won the AFCON when they beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in a chaotic final in Rabat on Sunday that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game.

The team arrived back in Senegal on a special flight shortly before midnight on Monday, where they were greeted by President Faye, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and other members of the government.

Fan Doudou Thiam told AFP from the parade’s sidelines in the Bourguiba neighbourhood that he “wouldn’t have missed this moment for the world”.

“The Lions are our pride and they deserve all the honours,” said the 26-year-old.

Senegal’s victory marked just their second title, after their 2022 victory over Egypt in Cameroon. It was the team’s ...