Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibably named to Senegal squad for the World Cup

Champions of Africa Senegal will be looking to do better than any nation from Africa has ever done previously at a World Cup — i.e. get into the semifinals at least. It’s a lofty ambition, to be sure, but Senegal’s squad is chock-full of seasoned professionals from some of Europe’s biggest leagues, including the Chelsea duo of Édouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly.

As expected, they were both part of the squad announced yesterday, which does also include Sadio Mané, despite him still dealing with an injury. Regardless of whether he plays or not, Senegal will be expected to get out of Group A after dealing with the Netherlands, Ecuador, and host nation Qatar.

Senegal’s full 26-man squad is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Seny Dieng (QPR), Édouard Mendy (Chelsea), Alfred Gomis (Rennes)

DEFENDERS: Fodé Ballo-Touré (AC milan), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), Papa Abou Cissé (Olympiacos), Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis), Ismail Jakobs (Amiens), Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig)

MIDFIELDERS: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City), Cheikhou Kouyaté (Nottingham Forest), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Krépin Diatta (Monaco), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Moustapha Name (Pafos), Mamadou Loum (Reading), Pape Gueye (Marseille)

FORWARDS: Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal), Boulaye Dia (Salernitana), Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich), Ismaïla Sarr (Watford), Famara Diédhiou (Alanyaspor), Bamba Dieng (Marseilla), Illiman Ndiaye (Sheffield United)