It's now official. National team coach Pape Thiaw has unveiled the list of 28 Lions called up to represent Senegal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Morocco. The squad is marked by continuity, but also by the gradual integration of new talent, symbolizing a skillful balance between experience and renewal.

 

Unsurprisingly, the Senegalese coach has chosen to rely on the core group of players who have been with him for over a year. Key figures are all present, including Sadio Mané and Idrissa Gana Gueye, who are preparing to play in their sixth Africa Cup of Nations for the national team. These are undisputed leaders whose experience will be invaluable in what is always a demanding tournament.

 

Alongside them, Ismaïla Sarr and Kalidou Koulibaly will be making their fifth appearance at the African football championship. These are players well-versed in continental competitions, capable of bringing stability, character, and composure to the group.

A mosaic of thirty-somethings and nine novices

 

But this list isn't limited to established players. Pape Thiaw has also opted for the future by calling up nine newcomers, all preparing to experience their first Africa Cup of Nations. Among them are goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, as well as defenders El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Ilay Camara, and Antoine Mendy. The attacking line also welcomes new faces with Cheikh Tidiane Sabaly, Ibrahim Mbaye, Chérif Ndiaye, and Assane Diao.

 

This blend of experienced thirty-somethings and ambitious young talents illustrates the coach's vision: to build a competitive team immediately, while simultaneously preparing for the future. It's this alchemy that Senegal intends to leverage to aim high and nurture the ambition of winning a second continental title after their 2022 triumph.

 

In Morocco, the Lions will therefore have the heavy task of confirming their status, carried by the experience of their leaders and the enthusiasm of a new generation ready to write its own history.