AFCON champions are ready: Mane leads Senegal's loaded World Cup charge

Only a few squads heading to the World Cup look as physically dominant, experienced and dangerous as the Lions of Teranga.

Drawn into a brutal group alongside France, Norway and Iraq, Senegal know there will be no margin for error. Still, the belief inside the camp is clear: they have enough quality to challenge anyone.

Head coach Pape Thiaw has named a provisional 28-man squad ahead of the tournament, with two players still set to be cut before the final list is confirmed.

As expected, everything still revolves around Sadio Mane. The captain remains the emotional and footballing leader of the squad, but what makes this Senegal side especially dangerous is the depth around him. Remarkably, 20 of the 28 selected players currently compete in Europe's top five leagues.

One of the biggest talking points is the omission of Boulaye Dia. The Lazio striker misses out, while Cherif Ndiaye gets the nod instead after an impressive season with Samsunspor in Turkey.

There was also no place for former French youth international Malang Sarr, despite recent speculation that the defender, who has now obtained Senegalese citizenship, could receive a late call-up.

The squad does feature fresh faces, though.

Moustapha Mbow earns a first senior call-up after strong performances for Paris FC, while one of the biggest surprises is the inclusion of 18-year-old midfielder Bara Ndiaye. The teenager has barely played senior football this season for Bayern Munich, but he clearly impressed enough in training and youth development to convince Vincent Kompany to hand him minutes late in the Bundesliga campaign.

Going forward, the AFCON 2025 winners look intimidating.

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Alongside Mane are Iliman Ndiaye, enjoying another electric campaign in England, Ismaila Sarr, after a superb season with Crystal Palace, and Nicolas Jackson, whose loan spell at Bayern may not have exploded as expected, but whose talent remains unquestionable.

Then there is the next generation already waiting in line: Ibrahim Mbaye of Paris Saint-Germain and Assane Diao of Como 1907 - two explosive young wide players from Senegal hope to define the national team for the next decade.

And of course, there was never any doubt about Pathe Ciss making the squad.

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The Rayo Vallecano midfielder may not always dominate headlines or minutes played, but inside the Senegal dressing room, his role is considered priceless. Around the national team, there is almost universal agreement: when it comes to energy, spirit and lifting the atmosphere, nobody does it better than Ciss.

Senegal World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Mory Diaw (Le Havre).

Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea), El-Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray).

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Habib Diarra (Sunderland), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Bara Ndiaye (Bayern Munich).

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr), Bamba Dieng (Lorient), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich), Assane Diao (Como), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St-Germain), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace).