Of Africa’s five representatives at the 2022 World Cup, Senegal are the least experienced.
This World Cup will be the third that the Teranga Lions have qualified for, and their first as reigning African champions.
In spite of this, the West African nation occupies a relatively unique position. Only three teams from the continent have reached the last-eight at a World Cup, but Senegal reached that milestone in their first-ever appearance.
In 2002, they stunned reigning world and European champions France and scored in every game but one en route to a quarter-final finish.
Despite that rousing success, Senegal missed out on the following three editions and 2022 marks their first-ever qualification for consecutive World Cups.
Disappointment in 2018
Aliou Cisse, captain of their great adventure in 2002 and in the dugout for seven years now, will lead the Teranga Lions in a bid to put the disappointment of 2018 behind them.
In Russia, Senegal became the first team ever to be eliminated from the World Cup on the basis of fair play, a cruel blow that defender Kalidou Koulibaly believes they have learned from.
“We will not make the same mistake again,” the Chelsea centre-back told Al Jazeera.
“In 2018 we could’ve done better, but things didn’t work out, and it’s a shame because we had a great generation of players. In Qatar, we will benefit from that 2018 experience.”
‘Africa’s best hope’
They will also have the boost of coming in as African champions. Senegal took a while to assert themselves during the Africa Cup of Nations in January, making heavy weather of a group that featured Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Aljazeera News
