Senegal begin their preparations for the World Cup with friendly matches against Peru and neighbours Gambia and have stuck with the majority of the squad that competed at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco at the turn of the year.
Coach Bouna Papa Thiaw has handed a first call-up, however, to Nobel Mendy from Spanish club Rayo Vallecano and Mamadou Diakhon who plays at Belgium’s Club Brugge.
Bamba Dieng is also back in the squad for the first time in two years. He was in the squad for the Cup of Nations victory in Cameroon in 2021 and then in Ivory Coast for the 2023 finals.
The 21-year-old Mendy can play at either left back or centre back while Diakhon
Fullback Ilay Camara of Belgian club Anderlecht had to pull out of the Cup of Nations through injury and although he is fit again has not been included but striker Assane Diao from Como is.
Cheikh Sabaly is the only player from the squad in Morocco who was dropped. He recently left Metz to join Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer.
Senegal take on Peru at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday and then go home to Dakar to play Gambia on March 31.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Le Havre, France), Yehvann Diouf (Nice, France), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli, Saudi Arabia)
Defenders: Krepin Diatta (Monaco, France), El Hadji Malik Diouf (West Ham United, England), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray, Turkey), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia), Antoine Mendy (Nice, France), Nobel Mendy (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Moussa Niakhaté (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Mamadou Sarr (Racing Strasbourg, France), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa, Israel)
Midfielders: Lamine Camara (Monaco, France), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano, Spain), Habib Diarra (Sunderland, England), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton, England), Pape Gueye (Villarreal, Spain), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Lazio, Italy), Habib Diallo (Metz, France), Assane Diao (Como, Italy), Bamba Dieng (Lorient, France), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich, Germany), Sadio Mane (Al Nassr), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris St Germain, France), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor, Turkey), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton, England), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace, England).