Aliou Cisse named 27-man squad for Senegal for the 2022 AFCON to kick off in Cameroon on 9 January. The squad list includes Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly back from injury.
The 30-year-old had been a doubt for the tournament after picking up a thigh strain in a match against Sassuolo on 1 December.
Koulibaly set to be captain of the Lions, has not played for his Italian club since then. But the defender is in Senegal local coach’s squad for the African football fiesta.
The 2019 runners up are in Group B alongside Guinea and Malawi and Zimbabwe, as they seek a first ever continental title.
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As expected, the squad does include English Premier League stars Sadio Mane (Liverpool, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Cheickou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), Ismailia Sarr (Watford) and Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City).
Seny Dieng, who plays in the Championship in England for Queens Park Rangers, is named as one of the reserve goalkeepers alongside first-choice Mendy.
Injury means that Monaco’s Krepin Diatta will miss the tournament.
Senegal squad for Afcon 2022
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea, England), Alfred Gomis (Rennes, France), Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers, England).
Defenders: Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich, Germany), Saliou Ciss (Nancy, France), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, Italy), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos, Greece), Abdoulaye Seck (Royal Antwerp, Belgium), Abdou Diallo (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna, Italy), Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan, Italy), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace, England).
Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr (Metz, France), Pape Gueye (Marseille, France), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City, England), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Moustapha Name (Paris FC, France), Mamadou Loum (Alaves, Spain), Joseph Lopy (Sochaux, France).
Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Villarreal, Spain), Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg, France), Bamba Dieng (Marseille, France), Ismaila Sarr (Watford, England), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Mame Baba Thiam (Kayserispor,Turkey), Keita Balde (Cagliari, Italy).