AFCON
Senegal team squad African Cup of Nations 2022: which players have been selected?
'The Lions de la Téranga' will be aspiring to go one step further this time around with Senegal beaten finalists in 2019 with hopes deposited in Sadio Mané's boots.
The 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations finally got underway on Sunday in the Cameroon capital of Yaounde as the host nation overcame Burkina Faso (2-1).
Beaten 2019 finalists Senegal will be hoping that this year the national team can fulfill the promise so often deposited in the side to triumph but despite 16 showings in the competition, the Lions of Teranga have never tasted AFCON glory.
Senegal in Group B
Aliou Cisse's men are in Group B and expected to progress comfortably with opposition in Guinea, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Avoiding covid cases will prove to be another hurdle for all AFCON participants and Senegal's travel plans were delayed earlier this week after three players and six staff members posted positive test results.
Sarr boost
There was better news for Senegal fans however with confirmation that Watford's Sarr will be involved in Cameroon. Ismaila Sarr was finally released by the English club to join up with Senegal’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations finals, ending a standoff between club and country.
The Senegal Football Federation said in a statement that Sarr had departed London on Tuesday to join up with the squad, after initially not being released by the Premier League club.
Watford previously claimed that Sarr was injured and not fit to compete after being accused of stopping the player from going to this month’s tournament in Cameroon.
The Mané man
With 26 goals in his 80 appearances in a Senegal shirt, the Liverpool striker will be one of the big stars in action in Cameroon with the 29-year-old the second highest scorer in Senegalese history trailing Henri Camara by three strikes.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year will compete at a fourth Cup of Nations finals, hoping to finally get Senegal to the winners’ podium after disappointing returns to the last three editions.
Sadio Mane has been a regular for his country since 2012 and collected 80 caps, including participation in the last World Cup in Russia.
He is the first Senegalese player to be voted Africa’s top footballer and has hero status in his country for his exploits at Liverpool, as well as his charitable deeds at home.
Senegal Squad: AFCON 2021
Goalkeeper: Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers), Alfred Gomis (Stade Rennes), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
Defenders: Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan), Saliou Ciss (Nancy), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos), Abdou Diallo (Paris St Germain), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna), Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich), Abdoulaye Seck (Antwerp)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Paris St Germain), Pape Gueye (Olympique Marseille), Joseph Lopy (Sochaux), Mamadou Loum (Deportivo Alaves), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City), Moustapha Name (Paris FC), Pape Matar Sarr (Metz)
Forwards: Keita Balde (Cagliari), Boulaye Dia (Villarreal), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor), Habib Diallo (Racing Strasbourg), Bamba Dieng (Olympique Marseille), Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Mame Baba Thiam (Kayserispor).