‘I don’t drink alcohol’: Nicolas Jackson clears air on allegations after Senegal exit World Cup

In a game played in Seattle, the former Bayern Munich star was handed a start and played for the entire game. He played up front alongside Sadio Mane and Ismaila Sarr.

The Lions of Teranga went ahead to lose the fixture 3-2, with Sarr notching the two goals. Despite the defeat, Senegal had a chance to qualify for the Round of 32 if they defeated Iraq.

Jackson started from the bench in the final group game played at Toronto Stadium, but was later introduced in the 56th minute, as Senegal went ahead to win 5-0 and qualify for the knockout stage.

‘I don’t drink alcohol’

“I share the disappointment of all your people. We wanted to go further, for you and for this jersey,” said Jackson on his Instagram page.

“I also see what's being said about me. It's false, I don’t drink alcohol, I never have.”

Senegal exited the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 following a heartbreaking 3-2 extra-time defeat to Belgium in Seattle.

The Lions of Teranga surrendered a 2-0 lead with just five minutes remaining in regular time before Belgium’s Youri Tielemans scored a stoppage-time penalty to win the match.

“I love this jersey too much and I respect my teammates too much to behave any other way than a professional,” added Jackson.

“I understand the anger after a defeat, but it doesn’t give anyone the right to lie about a man. I’m going to do what I’ve always done: work, get back up, and come back stronger.

“I’ll be there. Thank you to those who support us, in good times and bad.”

Jackson has denied the accusations made against him, and reaffirmed his professionalism. He further assured that he wants to turn the page, continue working, and come back stronger.

Senegal owe fans an apology

Meanwhile, Krepin Diatta has insisted Senegal’s elimination from the World Cup was a bitter pill to swallow for both the fans and the players.

Diatta wrote on his social media accounts: “First and foremost, we are sorry for you, the Senegalese people.

“This dream that we carried, you shared it with us, and we know how high your expectations were (…). We fully accept this failure (…).

“Thank you to the Senegalese people for your love and support in victory as in defeat.”

Diatta added: “We all share some responsibility and we must learn from this. This elimination hurts deeply. We failed in our mission and we owe you an apology.”

He concluded: “It’s time to get back to work, because football isn’t just played on the pitch.”

Senegal will shift their focus to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Senegal have been drawn into Group J alongside Mozambique, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

The qualifying matches will be held across three FIFA international windows between September 2026 and March 2027, with the top two teams from the group advancing to the tournament.

The 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania and is scheduled to take place from June 19th to July 18th, 2027. A total of 48 nations are competing in this qualification group stage, divided into 12 groups of four teams.