Fides asks:

1. Please tell us about your experience at the World Cup? With what sort of spirit did your team take part?
2. You were the most popular team in the competition: you always play with a smile. Where does your joy of playing come from?
3. In your team there are Christians and Muslims. How do you live the religious dimension"
4. Do you pray before a match?
5. In football today, in which players are often appreciated only for their commercial and publicity value, you would appear to reject this system, aiming for more authentic values, for which sport is a game, something that brings people together for enjoyment, entertainment. Is this true?
6. These values are typically African. They can be Africa's greatest contribution to the concert of globalisation. Do you agree?
7. What would you like to say to the youth of the world, Africans and non Africans.

Tony Silva replies:

1. I think the competition helped make Senegal better known. This was the first time we had a chance to take part in a major world football event, and it was most important for us and for all our people.
2. The team spirit was good. We are like brothers. We can't wait to get together in the national squad, because the spirit is quite a different to that in the ordinary teams. Senegal football team has a really strong spirit.
3. Religion is not a problem. We respect all faiths. For example, my wife is a Muslim she practices her religion, and I am a practicing Christian. We have a wonderful relationship. It is the heart which speaks and there are no problems.
4. Yes like everyone else. Before every game the Muslim players recite a prayer and we Catholics say the Our Father and Hail Mary. Because, the Good God is everywhere and listens to everyone, isn't that so?
5. Yes you are right too much business and politics is mixed up with football. It is true that this sport can reconcile countries in conflict or contribute towards reaching peace. That was the idea I think when they insisted on the return of peace in Casamance (a region of Senegal in conflict because of an independence movement-editor's note) There are always wars which never stop…people want to live in peace…peace is something people always pray for. When there are event like this World Football Cup, in the squad we speak of peace all the time.
6. I know for certain that football can achieve much. It is an opportunity to speak of politics, or to send special messages. I think many other things are mixed up with sport. I would like to see football separated from politics: each in its proper place.
7. That there may be peace everywhere. I also want to say that people must never lose hope. We must never give up, we must persevere and our plans will work out. But at times we do not get everything we want. This can happen. We, of course have been lucky to go to Europe, to reach success. But we never forget where we came from.

Replies from Ferdinand Coly

1. In our team there is always a feeling of high spirits, celebration. Whenever we come together we are happy…like brothers. In our squad we are all friends. And this shows on the field.
2. The joy of playing comes naturally. Of course taking part in the World Cup is something exceptional for any foot ball player. Especially for us, because no one thought we would ever qualify. We overcame many obstacles, contrary to all forecasts. For us it was a real treat to play the greatest teams, to keep up with them
3. This is true, I was surprised by the religious practice, but it is never a problem. In fact we are all very tolerant. I think that the spirit in our team can be a good example, it offers food for reflection. It shows that different religions can co-exist…there is no problem. We respect each other, show tolerance and each one accepts the different faith of the other.
4. We pray not only for help but for our country, for the people we love. And they pray for us and support us with their prayers. It is a moment of quiet, we try to put everything else out of our mind, think of the people we love, those who are no longer with us, who are looking at us from heaven.
5. I think we demonstrated various things. For example, I saw television reports before the World Cup on the enormous machine of French preparation. The French team went to Japan with over a ton of electronic material to examine even the smallest action, detail of our squad. We had few means: our understanding, our joy, our good humour. We demonstrated that it is possible to win with the heart, with hope: this is our identity.
6. National unity, pride for the flag, respect for religious differences: it is good that football brings out all these values. It is true that in Africa means are limited; it is difficult but the spirit of solidarity is stronger…it is part of our roots.
7. The message I would like to send is that when you have a goal and you work to achieve it at times you meet with difficulties, but by persevering and working with joy in the end you can obtain results.