With one of the most talented squads at the World Cup, can Senegal make their talent count and mount a serious challenge in North America?
Senegal have made the final of the Africa Cup of Nations three times out of the last four editions, but have struggled to turn continental dominance into success at the FIFA World Cup.
In their tournament debut in 2002, they went on a fairytale run to the quarter-finals, beating defending champions France along the way.
It took the Lions of Teranga 16 years to return to the tournament in 2018, where they missed out on a round of 16 place via the fair play rule, and reached the last 16 in the subsequent tournament in 2022.
But all of that will feel slightly underwhelming given the array of talent in the squad, and they will be determined to change that in the USA, Canada and Mexico, where they face France, Norway and Iraq in Group I.
Quick facts
- Captain: Kalidou Koulibaly
- Manager: Pape Thiaw
- World Cup appearances (including 2026): 4
- Best World Cup result: Quarter-finals (2002)
FIFA World Cup 2026 – Senegal’s final squad
Goalkeepers: Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Mory Diaw (Le Havre AC), Yehvann Diouf (OGC Nice)
Defenders: Krépin Diatta (AS Monaco), Antoine Mendy (OGC Nice), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), Moussa Niakhaté (Lyon), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Ismaïl Jakobs (Galatasaray SK)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal CF), Lamine Camara (AS Monaco), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (PSG), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Chérif Ndiaye (Samsunspor)