Senegal, winner of the last African Cup of Nations, hopes to retain its title in Ivory Coast (January 13 – February 11) with a backbone playing in the lucrative Saudi championship, led by its star Sadio Mané, announced Friday coach Aliou Cissé.
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Senegal coach Aliou Cissé announced on Friday December 29 the list of players selected to represent the Téranga Lions at the next African Cup of Nations (CAN). The backbone of the selection will be made up of players playing in the lucrative Saudi championship, including leader Sadio Mané.
Aliou Cissé had in the past ruled out calling on players playing in this championship, due to the lower quality of the competition compared to European championships for example.
“We showed that we were capable of winning by having players in (the) major European championships. Now it is up to us to also show that we can win by having players who play in Saudi Arabia,” he said. said to the press during the presentation of the 27 players selected for CAN 2024.
“We have only one star. We want to go and win, to continue to win,” he added, in response to a question about a possible winner’s curse, while no team has managed to retain his title from Egypt in 2010.
In addition to Sadio Mané, the list of 27 names includes four other big names playing in Saudi Arabia: goalkeeper Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli), defenders Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal) and Abdou Diallo (Al-Arabi) and striker Habib Diallo ( Al-Shabab).
Senegal is part of Group C, in which it will challenge Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia.
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The selection of Senegal
Goalkeepers : Édouard Mendy (Al Ahli SC), Seny Dieng (Middlesbrough), Mory Diaw (Clermont Foot)
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Abdou Diallo (Al-Arabi), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Abdoulaye Niakhaté (Troyes), Moussa Niakhaté (Nottingham Forest), Fodé Ballo Touré (Fulham), Youssouf Sabaly (Bétis Seville), Ismail Jackobs (Monaco), Formosa Mendy (Lorient)
Midfielders: Nampalys Mendy (Lens), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Alassane Gueye (Marseille), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Pathé Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Cheikhou Kouyaté (Nottingham Forest), Lamine Camara ( Metz)
Attackers: Sadio Mané (Al Nassr), Habibou Diallo (Al Shabab), Iliman Ndiaye (Marseille), Ismaila Sarr (Marseille), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Boulaye Dia (Salernitana), Abdallah Sima (Rangers)
