Senegal coach Bruno Metsu has paid tribute to his players after they qualified for the knock out stages of the World Cup at the first time of acting.

“It’s really somethingextraordinary that we are through, showing we are one of the best 16 teams in the world. This is a wonderful thing for African football,” said Metsu after his men hung for a point against Uruguay to go through to the last 16.

“We played superbly in the first half. But their goal just after the restart hurt us and we lost ourheads a bit and it turned into a heart-stopping encounter,” added the coach.

“In Africa I have found values which have disappeared in Europe,” Metsu said. “I am a white man with the heart of a negro.

“In Europe a player will only call you when he’s got a problem that he wants you to sort out. African players call me all the time to see how I’m doing.”