Today's Talking Points
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1Senegal are the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions and one of the most feared African sides in the world — they have more Premier League players per capita than almost any other nation outside Europe.
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2Sadio Mané is back in the squad and healthy after injuries disrupted his last two years — at his best he's one of the most dangerous forwards in the world, and a fit Mané makes Senegal genuinely dangerous.
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3They're in Group I with France, Iraq and Norway — France are the overwhelming favourites to top the group, but Senegal beating France would be a monumental result and is not as unlikely as it sounds.
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4Senegal reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup before losing to England — a solid showing that confirmed them as a consistent force in African and world football rather than a one-off.
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5Manager Aliou Cissé has been in charge since 2015 and built a long-term culture of winning — he played in the 2002 World Cup side that reached the quarters and has now built a team capable of matching that feat.
🍺 Top Thing To Say Down The Pub
Senegal have more Premier League players in their squad than most European nations. With a fit Sadio Mané, they could genuinely go deep in this tournament.
🚫 Avoid Saying
"African teams always underperform" — Senegal reached the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2022. Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022. The narrative is outdated.