This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2022 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 32 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 20 November.
The plan
This feels as if it could be Senegal’s year, and for many observers they represent Africa’s best chance to go further than any other team in the continent (the quarter-final stage) at the World Cup.
Nicknamed the Lions, they were crowned champions of Africa for the first time in February, and have been at the top of their game for a while now, a spell that takes in two Africa Cup of Nations finals (the other was in 2019) and qualifying for two consecutive World Cups. There is a huge amount of confidence flowing through the team and the expectations back home are so high that winning the tournament has not been ruled out.
Tradition in Senegal dictates that there is a flag delivery ceremony by the president of the republic to the team before they go into a major tournament, and before the delayed 2021 Afcon in Cameroon the Senegalese head of state, Macky Sall, made a speech that seemed to motivate this team as never before.
“A lion cannot be afraid,” said Sall. “This time … we must go and take this trophy and come back, because the nation has been waiting, with hope, for so many years. With determination and courage, make Cameroon 2021 the time of victory.” The words had the desired effect, and now it remains to be seen what this team can do on the world stage.
Senegal qualified for Qatar by winning their group and then beating Egypt in a playoff. Aliou Cissé prefers to play a 4-3-3 formation, but there are problems at left-back where Saliou Ciss, who was outstanding at the 2021 Afcon, has been without a club since leaving Nancy in the summer.
Sadio Mané is the focal point up front and the midfield has a strong Premier League feel to it with Nampalys Mendy (Leicester), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) and Idrissa Gueye (Everton) all in contention.
Read More: World Cup 2022 team guides part 3: Senegal | Senegal football team