- Koulibaly, Diatta back Mane to inspire Senegal’s quest for World Cup glory in North America
- The players believe the return of the veteran forward will boost their morale.
- Senegal have been drawn in Group I and will kick off their campaign against France on Tuesday, June 16.
Senegal players, led by the duo Krepin Diatta and Kalidou Koulibaly, have expressed their joy over having the sensational former Liverpool star Sadio Mane back in the national team setup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in North America.
Having missed the 2022 edition in Qatar, where his side managed to reach the Round of 16 before being eliminated by England, the Lions of Teranga are now preparing for their fourth appearance on football’s biggest stage.
The squad has welcomed Mane’s return with great enthusiasm, believing his presence will boost morale and potentially propel them towards glory.
ALSO READ: France vs Senegal prediction: World Cup 2026 preview, team news, key stats & h2h
Sadio Mane to inspire Senegal’s quest for World Cup glory
According to Diatta, the last edition was tough due to the lack of Mane’s experience, and he believes the forward will make a significant difference this time around.
“I think everybody knows who Mane is. The last World Cup, we suffered because we didn’t have him in the team, and I think he would change a lot of things,” the AS Monaco defensive midfielder stated.
“We are happy right now to see him in the team. He is ready. Like always, he will do everything he usually does. We are happy, and we hope he will bring his impact like he always does.”
ALSO READ: France squad: National football team players, fixtures, stats and latest news 2026
Meanwhile, former Chelsea defender Koulibaly echoed the same sentiment, praising Mane’s return and expressing happiness at having him back in the fold for the World Cup.
“We have a lot of talent, a lot of experienced players. At the last World Cup, I think we did well, but we missed our big player like Mane. I think everybody knows that, but now he is with us.
We are happy to have him at the World Cup. We are happy to have all the big players that we have in our team,” he explained on Monday evening during the training session.
Senegal hope to shock France again on World Cup stage
The Pape Thiaw charges have been grouped in a very challenging Group I for the 2026 edition, being held by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, where they will face France, Iraq, and Norway.
On Tuesday night, the Lions of Teranga will be looking to roar their hearts out in their opener against former world champions France at the New York Jersey Stadium, starting at 10pm EAT.
“I know that it’s going to be very difficult. We have our team, and I know it’s going to be tough, but we know we can make it, and we will do it because we are Senegal. We want to be proud and give happiness to our supporters and our people,” Koulibaly added.
This is a repeat of their opening match from the 2002 edition, where Senegal shocked France with a 1-0 win. That tournament marked Senegal’s best ever run in the competition, as they bowed out in the quarterfinals.
Koulibaly believes it won’t be an easy match, but they will give it their all to secure a win on Tuesday.
“So I think that on the pitch, we will give 100% to get past this stage, but it will start with a big game tomorrow against the French national team, a team that has reached the final of the last two World Cups, so we know it’s going to be very difficult. There is a lot of talent in their squad, but we hope to put on a good performance and be ready for tomorrow.”
On the other hand, France are also on the verge of making history if they can go all the way.
They would become just the third team to reach three consecutive World Cup finals. They lost 4-2 on penalties to eventual winners Argentina in the last final.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
France national football team 2026
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026