Sadio Mane included in Senegal Teranga Lions 26-man squad for World Cup

by
Collins Okinyo
November 12, 2022

Sadio Mane has been named in Senegal’s World Cup squad for Qatar despite his injury.

Coach Aliou Cisse announced their official 26-man list on Friday morning for the Qatar tournament which begins later this month.

Mane limped off after 20 minutes during a 6-1 Bundesliga win against Werder Bremen on Tuesday, with Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann confirming the 30-year-old would have an X-ray to assess the damage.

It was then reported by French outlet L’Equipe that the injury was serious enough to keep the player out of the tournament in a huge blow to the Africa Cup of Nations champions.

However Coach Aliou Cisse had faith and was happy to give up a slot in their squad in the hope Mane, who finished second in this year’s Ballon d’Or voting behind Karim Benzema , can recover in time to feature in some part of the World Cup.

Premier League trio Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye are the biggest names in Cisse’s selection.

Mane was diagnosed with an injury to his right fibula, with Bayern – who have ruled him out of Saturday’s match against Schalke, the last match before the World Cup – said he would undergo further tests in the coming days.

The Senegal team doctor, Manuel Afonso, has flown to Munich to assess the extent of Mane’s injury.

Mane, the two-time African player of the year, is pivotal to the African champions’ hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.

Senegal President Macky Sall on Wednesday tweeted: ‘Sadio, I wish you a speedy recovery. Sadio, heart of a Lion! All my heart is with you!’

Augustin Senghor, president of the Senegalese football federation, said: ‘We cross our fingers, we have been worried since we received the news.’

The Lions of Teranga begin their tournament on November 21 against Holland, before taking on hosts Qatar and Ecuador in Group A.

Senegal squad for the Qatar World Cup

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Seny Dieng (QPR), Alfred Gomis (Rennes).

Defenders: Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiacos), Formose Mendy (Amiens), Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan), Ismail Jakobs (Monaco).

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (Nottingham Forest), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester), Pape Gueye (Marseille), Pape Sarr (Tottenham), Moustapha Name (Pafos), Mamadou Loum (Reading), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Krepin Diatta (Monaco).

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Bamba Dieng (Marseille), Boulaye Dia (Salernitana), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor), Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal), Iliman Ndiaye (Sheffield United).

Related Topics

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com