The Gambia has celebrated the national football team Africa Cup of Nations success with a national banquet last night at Tamala Hotel. 

Captain Pa Modou Jagne said the team’s qualification for the elite continental football tournament after decades of failed attempts was “a great achievement for the nation’s sports”.

“[The] Gambian football has a long way to go. We are not yet there but we are doing our best because we have the youngest national team players around Africa. 

“We are thankful and blessed to be part of this successful journey,” Jagne said.

“It’s an experience so we have to go, do our best and with that we can be the surprising package because football cannot be predicted but we will do our best come January [2022].

Jagne urged his fellow teammates to fight hard for the continental championship next year in Cameroon, adding “we have to prepare and have more test games because that will help us to know our weaknesses and our strengths.”

Ebrima Sohna, the team’s centre back called for more investment in Gambian sports.

“If you don’t have a good foundation in sport, you will find it challenging but if the foundation is good, then it is something that is going to last forever,” he said.

“Qualifying is just the beginning, we are not going to Cameroon just to see ourselves there as qualifiers but we are going there to represent The Gambia which means that our main target of going there is to win something and come back with victory.” 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba