Senegal
FIFA Club World Cup Play-In / Senegal
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The Senegal national football team is one of the greatest sides to have graced African football. Senegal football team, also known as the “Les Lions de la Teranga”, is one of the most successful sides on the continent, having won 13 major titles. The Senegal national football team is part of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF).
The Senegal football team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup 4 times, including the 2026 tournament. The 2002 World Cup in particular remains their most remarkable appearance in history. In the tournament, which they co-hosted with Japan, the team had a historic run. The team made it all the way to the quarter-finals, becoming only the second African side (after Cameroon in 1990) to achieve the feat. En route, they defeated defending champions France in their opening game, which remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. They held on against Denmark, Uruguay and Sweden, before ultimately falling to Turkey by golden goal.
The Senegal national football team qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under the Senegal national football team manager, Pape Bouna Thiaw, defeating Mauritania 4-0, finishing at the top of their qualification group unbeaten.
The Senegal football team has been one of the best African sides recently. The team is currently ranked 19th in the FIFA World Rankings. Controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF), the Senegal national football team played their first ever match on 31 December 1961, losing to Dahomey (Benin) 3-2. The Senegal national football team nickname is the “Les Lions de la Teranga”.
The team is renowned for producing some of the biggest talents in African football. While various Senegal national football team players are known for influencing the sport in the nation, many consider Al Nassr forward Sadio Mané to be the greatest Senegalese player to grace the game. Fondly called “Ballonbowa” (ball wizard) by the fans, he is regarded as one of the greatest African players ever. He holds the record for the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history and has also won the African Footballer of the Year twice (2019 and 2022).
The all-time top scorer for the Senegal football team is Sadio Mané, who has scored 51 goals for the nation.
The current Senegal national football team coach is Pape Bouna Thiaw, taking over the reins in 2024. The Senegal national football team stadium is the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium. The Senegal national football team players primarily speak French and the Wolof language. Here are some of the facts about the Senegal football team.
| Confederation | CAF |
|---|---|
| President of Sengalese Football Federation | Augustin Senghor |
| Nickname | Les Lions de la Teranga |
| National Stadium | Diamniadio Olympic Stadium |
| Capacity | 50,000 |
| Manager/Head Coach | Pape Bouna Thiaw |
The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) is the governing body of footballing activities in Senegal. Founded in 1960, it oversees professional, semi-professional, and amateur football in Senegal, as well as playing a huge role in player development. The FSF organizes all the major leagues and cup competitions in the country. Headed by Augustin Senghor, the FSF manages all the activities of the men's and women's national teams.
The Fédération Sénégalaise de Football (FSF) became a member of FIFA in 1964 and a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1963. The federation had found itself in controversy often, with the most prominent one being in 2008. After the team failed to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the AFCON, riots broke out in Senegal, with fans attacking the FSF headquarters. FSF was dissolved by FIFA and was replaced by a caretaker Normalisation Committee until FSF was reinstated in 2009.
Football became prominent in the nation after Senegal gained its independence from France in 1960. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) was founded in the same year. Senegal football team played its first ever match against Dahomey (Benin) on 31 December 1961, losing 3-2. The team made its first-ever AFCON appearance in 1965, where the team finished in fourth place.
Senegal hosted the 1992 AFCON edition; however, it failed to win the tournament, being eliminated by Cameroon in the quarter-finals.
Senegal lost the 2002 AFCON final against Cameroon on penalties, after the game ended 0-0. Senegal national football team qualified for their first-ever World Cup in 2002, where they had a historic run, with the team advancing to the quarter-finals, before falling to Turkey by a golden goal. Senegal's next World Cup qualification came in 2018, where they were tied on points with Japan for second place; however, the team were eliminated by the fair-play rule, becoming the first and only side in World Cup history to be eliminated by the rule. The Senegal football team won its first-ever AFCON title in 2022, after defeating Egypt in the finals in a penalty shootout.
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The Senegal national football team plays its home matches in the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium. Located in Dakar, it serves as the home ground of both the men's and women's national teams. The stadium was opened in 2022. The stadium has a capacity of 50,000. The stadium is set to host the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics.
The Senegal football team is one of the most successful teams on the continent, with the team winning one AFCON title (2022) and one All-African Games title (2015).
Domestically, the Senegal football team also managed to win an impressive six Amílcar Cabral Cup (1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986). They have also managed to one WAFU Nations Cup (2019), the CEDEAO Cup (1985) and three UEMOA titles (2009, 2011, and 2016).
| Competitions | No. of Titles/Achievements | Year |
|---|---|---|
| AFCON | 1 | 2022 |
| All-African Games | 1 | 2015 |
| Amílcar Cabral Cup | 6 | 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 |
| WAFU Nations Cup | 1 | 2019 |
| CEDEAO Cup | 1 | 1985 |
| UEMOA | 3 | 2009, 2011, 2016 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the President of the Senegal Football Federation?
Augustin Senghor is the president of the Senegal Football Federation.
Has the Senegal National Football Team Ever Won a Trophy?
Yes, the team has managed to win 13 major trophies across their history.
Who is Senegal National Football Team Top Scorer?
Sadio Mané is Senegal football team top scorer, managing to score 51 goals for the nation.
Where is Senegal ranked in football?
Senegal is ranked 19th in the recent FIFA World Rankings.
In which year, the Senegal National Football Team played their first match?
Senegal played its first match in 1961, losing 3-2 to Benin.
What is Senegal National Football Team’s highest finish in a Fifa World Cup Tournament?
Senegal's highest finish came in 2002, when the team made it all the way to the quarter-finals.
What language does the Senegal National Football Team Speak?
Senegal national football team speak French and the Wolof language.
Who is Senegal National Football Team Best Player of All Time?
Sadio Mané is considered the best Senegal football team player of all time.
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