Senegal World Cup Preview

Best Ever Finish: Quarter Finals (2002, lost 1-0 to Turkey)

Manager: Aliou Cisse

Key Player: Kalidou Koulibaly

World Cup Group: Qatar, Ecuador, Netherlands

The 2021 African Cup of Nations champions will hope to transfer their form and exceed their 2002 World Cup performance, where they reached the quarter finals.

Nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, Senegal qualified for the 2022 Qatar World Cup after beating Egypt 3-1 on penalties, a replication of the AFCON final. Bayern Munich attacker Sadie Mane scored the decisive penalty in both games.

Champions League and Premier League winner Sadie Mane is Senegal's top scorer of all-time with 34 goals; but has been ruled out of the World Cup today by manager Aliou Cisse. Senegal will hope to get out of a tough looking group without their marksman. Captain fantastic Kalidou Koulibaly will have to step up if he wants to lead his nation to glory.

A historic moment for Senegal came in the 2002 World Cup where the African nation beat favourites France in an incredible underdog performance, which shocked the competition. The Lions of Teranga eventually progressed out the group but were halted by Turkey in a record finish for an African country in a World Cup.

Senegal are among five African countries who have qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Tunisia, Ghana, Morocco and Cameroon all booking their plane tickets for November. The Lions of Teranga are the highest ranked African team currently.

There are high hopes for Senegal at this World Cup following their recent success, which could see them possibly being the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup if they progress out the group.