Death of Samba FALL: Farewell to the doorman of Linguère and Lions

Samba Fall died this Friday, October 2, in Saint-Louis, following an illness. Former goalkeeper for Linguère and the national team, then trainer of the Lions goalkeepers, he leaves the memory of a discreet servant who gave his whole life to the game of football. Senegalese football is in mourning.

His name remains attached to an afternoon in July 1987, in Kinshasa. The Lions play their qualification for Can 1988, in Morocco, after a goalless first leg in Dakar. Barely twenty minutes had passed when Cheikh Seck, injured, had to give up his place. Samba Fall comes into play and takes possession of the Senegalese goals, far from home, in a match where everything can change. He doesn’t give in. Regulation time ends with another 0-0, and a penalty shootout is needed to decide between the two teams. Senegal lost (2-4), but the Saint-Louis goalkeeper held his place.

Before the Lions, there had been Linguère. It is within the historic club in the north of the country, his favorite club, that Samba Fall built most of his career. Over the seasons, he established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the championship, a figure of a generation who wrote some of the beautiful pages of local football. His consistency earned him a call-up to the selection.

When the time came to leave the cages, he did not stray far from the field. Trainer of the national team’s goalkeepers, he put his experience at the service of those who succeeded him, in turn passing on what the position had taught him. Player then technician, he served Senegalese football at all levels, from Linguère to the Lions staff.

His disappearance mourns the Saint-Louis family and, beyond that, all of national football. Our thoughts are with his family, his loved ones, his former teammates and the Linguère of Saint-Louis, who is losing one of his sons.

Samba Oumar FALL