This World Cup would be the third that the Teranga Lions have certified for, and their first as reigning African champions.
Earlier World Cup appearances: 2002, 2018
Titles: 0
Greatest end: Quarter-finals (2002)
World Cup file: W3 L2 D3
World Cup targets: 11
Largest win: 1-0 v France (2002)
Participant to observe: Sadio Mane
Rating: 18
Group stage fixtures: Netherlands (November 21), Qatar (November 25), Ecuador (November 29)
Of Africa’s 5 representatives on the 2022 World Cup, Senegal are the least skilled.
This World Cup would be the third that the Teranga Lions have certified for, and their first as reigning African champions.
Regardless of this, the West African nation occupies a comparatively distinctive place. Solely three groups from the continent have reached the last-eight at a World Cup, however Senegal reached that milestone of their first-ever look.
In 2002, they shocked reigning world and European champions France and scored in each sport however one en path to a quarter-final end.
Regardless of that rousing success, Senegal missed out on the next three editions and 2022 marks their first-ever qualification for consecutive World Cups.
Disappointment in 2018
Aliou Cisse, captain of their nice journey in 2002 and within the dugout for seven years now, will lead the Teranga Lions in a bid to place the frustration of 2018 behind them.
In Russia, Senegal grew to become the primary crew ever to be eradicated from the World Cup on the premise of truthful play, a merciless blow that defender Kalidou Koulibaly believes they've discovered from.
“We is not going to make the identical mistake once more,” the Chelsea centre-back informed Al Jazeera.
“In 2018 we might’ve achieved higher, however issues didn’t work out, and it’s a disgrace as a result of we had an awesome technology of gamers. In Qatar, we are going to profit from that 2018 expertise.”
‘Africa’s finest hope’
They will even have the enhance of coming in as African champions. Senegal took some time to claim themselves through the Africa Cup of Nations in January, making heavy climate of a gaggle that featured Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Nonetheless, they got here into their very own through the knockout rounds, and though they wanted a penalty shootout within the remaining to show it, the Lions have been deserving winners.
Along with being Senegal’s first-ever style of silverware, that achievement lent legitimacy to their present technology, in addition to to Cisse’s work. And it cemented their standing because the continent’s finest hope of a deep run in Qatar.
“I believe Senegal provide Africa’s finest hope,” African soccer knowledgeable Mark Gleeson informed Al Jazeera. “I hope that they will get to the quarters, however it relies upon who they need to play, after all, within the spherical of 16. I do see them going via, and I believe they’ll be the one African facet to take action.”
That expectation is enhanced by the draw.
The Netherlands will present a thorny problem within the opening sport, however the remainder of Group A is made up of hosts Qatar, of their maiden World Cup look, and South America’s final automated qualifier, Ecuador.
On the power of each the FIFA rankings and the relative high quality of their squad, Senegal are favourites to advance.
“It’s going to be very troublesome however it’s an open group,” Koulibaly admitted.
“Qatar (are) enjoying at residence, the Netherlands are an awesome soccer nation – they've huge gamers like Van Dijk, I performed rather a lot towards him – and Ecuador proved that they deserved to be right here.”
Two-time African footballer of the yr and Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane is undoubtedly the Teranga Lions’ largest star.
However in Edouard Mendy, Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Ismaila Sarr, Abdou Diallo and Boulaye Dia they've gamers who've established themselves in Europe.
Excessive expectations
Since their title-winning effort in Cameroon, Senegal’s outcomes have been underwhelming.
They got here via a two-legged playoff towards Egypt, however solely on penalties after a 1-1 combination rating, they usually adopted that up with a 3-1 win over 10-man Benin and a slim triumph – through a 98th-minute penalty – towards Rwanda.
Ends in pre-World Cup friendlies have additionally raised some concern. A routine win over Bolivia was adopted by a 1-1 draw with Iran, by which Senegal appeared to lack creativeness in assault.
That feeds right into a wider concern. When Mane is shackled, it's usually troublesome to inform the place the possibilities are coming from.
Regardless of these latest wobbles, Koulibaly stays bullish about Senegal’s prospects in Qatar, and says the crew have their eyes set on pushing the envelope on the World Cup.
“I don’t know in regards to the different African groups however as captain of Senegal we aren't going there to achieve the conventional ceiling of Africa, which is the quarter-finals,” he declared.
“I consider we will compete for the trophy like the opposite international locations from totally different continents. We've got no enterprise on the World Cup if the plan is simply to take part and go residence after the group. That's such a defeatist mentality. For those who go to battle pondering you aren't adequate then you definately’ve already misplaced.
“Senegal goes to Qatar with the ambition to win and that's our mentality.”
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