Blues centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed why he decided to represent Senegal at international level instead of France.
What did Kalidou Koulibaly say?
Born and raised in France, Kalidou Koulibaly was eligible to play for an African nation because his parents are from there. The player decided to make the move to Senegal in the early 20s due to the country’s desire to call him out and never once regretted his decision.
The Senegalese international told the Blues website that it was a big, big choice because he could play with France, but at 23 or 24 he decided to play for Senegal because he was expected. According to Kalidou Koulibaly, he spoke with the coach, he gave him good motivation and good reasons to come, and he also spoke with the family.
The most important people were his parents – they told him that Koulibaly should do what I want, but when I told them that I wanted to play for the Senegal national team, he saw a light in their eyes and knew that it was a good choice.
Kalidou Koulibaly says that when he arrived and saw the other players, it was like his family because they all used to eat the same things at home, speak the same language at home, so it felt like he was at home for him ! “I said to myself, ‘Why didn’t I come earlier? They are like my brothers,” said Kalidou Koulibaly.
A little about Kalidou Koulibaly
Kalidou Koulibaly was rewarded for his decision to play for Senegal with success on the pitch. The defender helped the team finish second in the African Cup of Nations in 2019 before finally earning a winners’ medal in 2021. Koulibaly became the captain of the Senegal national team and made 62 appearances.
Kalidou Koulibaly is looking to convince the new Blues boss that he deserves a place in the starting XI and will be looking for his chance on Saturday when his side faces the Eagles.