Jakobs retires from international football at 27, Vieira struggles to understand

Ismail Jakobs announced his international retirement with Senegal at 27, just days after receiving his call-up for November’s gathering. The Galatasaray player contacted Patrick Vieira to inform him of his decision, preferring to focus on his club and family.

The head coach of the Lions of Teranga did not hide his disappointment during Thursday’s press conference when unveiling his squad. “When he received the call-up, he called me a few days later to tell me he wanted to end his international career. I accepted it with some bitterness, because I think he is at the peak of his career,” said the 1998 World Cup winner.

Vieira stressed how incomprehensible the choice seemed to him. “I always find it a shame when a player of that age and playing for a big club stops his international career. It’s true that personally, it’s hard to understand. But it’s his choice and I have no other tools to do otherwise,” he concluded.

This withdrawal comes in an already tense context around the Senegal national team, marked by organizational mishaps during the 2026 World Cup. During the tournament, Jakobs had also lost his starting place to El Hadji Malick Diouf, which may have weighed on his decision.