Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly feature in experienced Senegal squad at FIFA World Cup 2026
Senegal manager Pape Thiaw has announced his 26-man squad for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Having won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations on the pitch, before having their title stripped a couple of months later, Senegal will head into this summer’s FIFA World Cup with a lot of confidence that they can go better than their round of 16 exit to England in Qatar in 2022.
It is a familiar-feeling squad this time around, too, for the Lions of Teranga with former Bayern Munich and Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane again the star attraction alongside stalwarts such as goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Mane is not alone in the final third, though, in terms of quality, with Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr, who has been excellent this season, alongside the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Assane Diao, as well as Bayern Munich’s Nicolas Jackson.
Idrissa Gueye, of Everton, is a part of a strong midfield, too, with Pape Gueye and Lamine Camara featuring alongside Sunderland’s Habib Diarra, Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Matar Sarr and Rayo Vallecano’s Pathe Ciss.
El Hadji Malick Diouf has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League for West Ham United and he will compete for the left-back spot against Ismail Jakobs, with Jakobs’ former Monaco teammate Krepin Diatta likely to again start at right-back for the Senegalese.
There aren’t too many surprises in the squad, albeit Metz forward Habib Diallo missing out is interesting and shows the newfound depth in quality of the Senegal front-line.
