The Japan Times - Senegal have 'big dreams' for 2026 World Cup

Key players include Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Edouard Mendy and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who has been sidelined since April 8 with a thigh injury.

Emerging stars Monaco's Lamine Camara, PSG forward Ibrahima Mbaye and Bayern Munich midfielder Bara Sapoko Ndiaye have also been included with striker Bamba Dieng, rewarded for his impressive end to the season with French club Lorient.

"It's a balanced and well thought out group to meet the demands of this World Cup, which is an intense competition," former Senegal international Thiaw told a press conference.

The Lions of Teranga will begin their campaign on June 16 against Kylian Mbappe's France in New Jersey. Group I also includes Norway and Iraq.

The two teams previously met in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, their only encounter, which Senegal won and went on to reach the quarter-finals.

"Senegal have three opponents. Why focus on France?" he added.

"Norway and Iraq are there. We have a historical connection with France. But for me, it's not a special match."

Senegal had a turbulent start to the year when they won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, a victory later awarded on appeal in March to opponents and tournament hosts Morocco.

CAF cited regulations about leaving the field: during the match Senegalese players, coach Thiaw and his staff walked off the pitch in Rabat after Morocco were awarded an added-time penalty, which forward Brahim Diaz ultimately missed.

The Senegalese Football Federation has appealed CAF's decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Senegal squad

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahly/RSA), Mory Diaw (Le Havre/FRA), Yehvann Diouf (Nice/FRA)

Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal/RSA), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon/FRA), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray/TUR, Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg/FRA), Antoine Mendy (Nice/FRA), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht/BEL), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham/ENG), Krepin Diatta (Monaco/FRA), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC/FRA)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton/ENG), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham/ENG), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Pape Gueye (Villarreal/ESP), Lamine Camara (Monaco/FRA), Habib Diarra (Sunderland/ENG), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich/GER)

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/RSA), Bamba Dieng (Lorient/FRA), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich/GER), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton/ENG), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace/ENG), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor/TUR), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz/FRA), Ibrahima Mbaye (Paris SG/FRA), Assane Diao (Como/ITA)

S.Yamada--JT