Team profile: Senegal

1.2205811-4088439066 — Senegal’s Sadio Mane takes part in training at the Leopold Sedar Senghor stadium in Dakar, during preparations for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. The team beat Tunisia 2-0 last Sunday thanks to goals from Mane and Kara Mbodj. Image Credit: AFP

Appearances: 1
Best finish: Quarter-final in 2002
Manager: Aliou Cisse
Star player: Sadio Mane

Senegal eventually made it to the quarter-finals – becoming one of only three African nations to do so – following the footsteps of Cameroon in 1990 and Ghana in 2010. But in the last eight they went down to Turkey. Senegal ensured their participation on November 10, 2017 for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia with a 2-0 win against former World Cup hosts South Africa.

Leading Senegal in Russia will be Aliou Cissé, who was the captain of the 2002 side under the late Bruno Metsu. It is but right that the former player Cissé leads the squad after guided them through a difficult qualification group containing Burkina Faso, South Africa and Cape Verde. Cissé has moulded a team strong in all areas.

The addition of M’Baye Niang to a forward line that includes Keita Baldé of Monaco and Liverpool’s Sadio Mané has allowed Cissé to play a 4-3-3 formation, although in the crucial victory over South Africa West Ham’s Diafra Sakho started in a 4-4-2 system of play.

At 6ft 5in, centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly is Senegal’s defensive titan. He plays for Napoli but has been linked with a move to clubs like Barcelona and Chelsea.

There’s a Premier League look to the midfield. The captain is Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham, who has drawn comparisons to Patrick Vieira. Another stalwart is Idrissa Gana Gueye of Everton. Cheikh Ndoye (Birmingham) and Pape Alioune Ndiaye (Stoke) were called up by Cisse in qualifying and should play important roles in Russia.

Much will also be expected of Mané, who has been the star man for several years and has been compared to El Hadji Diouf, the talisman for the 2002 side. His injury problems have slowed down a brilliant start to life at Liverpool and he is expected to be at his best as Senegal tackle Poland in their opening on June 19 followed by Japan on June 24 and finally Colombia on June 28.