The Senegalese midfielder won the tournament having finished runners-up in 2019, and took to the pitches of Copers Cope on Tuesday for the first time since lifting the trophy.
He was presented with an ‘AFCON 2022 Champions’ Palace shirt by captain Luka Milivojević, before giving a brief speech.
“The champion is back,” he said with a smile to Palace TV, whose cameras were on hand to capture his return.
Speaking with the matchday programme for the Chelsea game, Kouyaté revealed how Senegal won the cup.
“I can’t explain this happiness,” he said, beaming at the memories still fresh from a week ago. “It’s unbelievable – it was the best day of my life. The celebrations were too much!
“It’s crazy because we know it’s the first trophy for Senegal, and for us also it means we are now in the story of Senegal. When we were younger and Senegal were playing, we would support the team. Now you are a player in the team and you bring home the cup.”
