Goalkeepers
16-Oumar Diallo (Olympique Khourigba) Born 28.9.72
Most experienced player in Senegal's squad but is no longer the
first choice for his country. Played in the 2000 African Nations Cup finals in
Nigeria but was given just one appearance at the recent tournament in Mali after
Senegal had already secured their first round berth.
1-Tony Sylva (Monaco) Born 17.5.75. 21-Habib Beye (Strasbourg) Born 19.10.77
Voted the best
goalkeeper at the recent African Nations Cup finals but is still a reserve with
the French first division club. Spent last year on loan to second division
Ajaccio but is now back with Monaco's reserve team. Also played at Epinal in
France.
22-Kalidou Cissokho (Jeanne d'Arc) Born 14.12.72
Caps: 0 Goals: 0.
Third choice keeper who was a late call-up. Has
yet to make his debut and is likely to spend his time in South Korea on the
bench.
Defenders
A French Cup winner
last season with Strasbourg, Beye has been in Senegal's squad over the last year
but unable to command a regular place. Born in France and a former junior at
Paris St Germain, he is following in the footsteps of his father, who also
played for Senegal.
6-Aliou Cisse (Montpellier) Born
24.03.76
Captained the team at the recent Nations Cup finals, where
he had his penalty saved in the final shootout that effectively handed the
trophy to opponents Cameroon. Much travelled French league player, who has had
spells at Sedan, Lille and Paris St Germain.
17-Ferdinand Coly (RC Lens) Born 10.09.73
A latecomer to
international soccer, Coly has been one of the more successful finds for Senegal
over the last two years. Raised in France, his career has taken him from lowly
Poitiers in the third division to the brink of a championship title this season
with Lens.
2-Oumar Daf (Sochaux) Born 12.02.77
Moved from Senegal to Belgium before joining his current French employers
five years ago. Part of Sochaux's second division winning side last year,
finding club success at the same time as helping Senegal to secure surprise
qualification to the World Cup finals.
13-Lamine Diatta
(Stade Rennes) Born 2.7.75
Bounced back after a devastating move to
Olympique Marseille, where he was touted as Laurent Blanc's replacement but then
sold on within weeks of arriving at the Velodrome. Started his career at
Toulouse but has made his reputation with unfashionable Rennes. Scored against
Egypt at the recent Nations Cup inals in Mali.
4-Pape Malick Diop (Lorient) Born 29.12.74
Signed for
the struggling French side from Neuchatel Xamax in Switzerland in January.
Former captain of the Senegal side, he started at Dakar's Jeanne d'Arc before
moving to Strasbourg in France and also had a brief spell with Norwich City in
the English first division.
5-Alassane Ndour (St Etienne) Born 12.12.81
Squad member
at the Nations Cup finals in Mali but made just one appearance. Tall player with
imposing presence who could be a find for the future with more experience, both
at club and international level. Debut for Senegal in a friendly against Mali in
2001.
Midfielders
15-Salif Diao (Sedan) Born 10.1.77
Product of the Aldo Gentina academy in Dakar, which produces Senegalese
players for Monaco in France. Made the move as a teenager but debuted on loan at
Epinal before playing a bit part in Jean Tigana's side which won the
championship three years ago. His form at the recent Nations Cup finals was
outstanding.
19-Pape Bouba Diop (RC Lens) Born 28.1.78
Recent signing by the French league leaders from Grasshoppers in
Zurich, where he won a Swiss championship medal last season. Debuted for Senegal
last year and his impressive height of 1.93m has made him a standout player for
the country.
10-Khalilou Fadiga (AJ
Auxerre) Born 30.12.74
Creative force of Senegal's midfield who
chose to play for Senegal two years ago after first bidding for a place in
Belgium's side ahead of the 2000 European Championships. Born in Paris but most
of his career spent in Belgium at Liege and Club Bruges.
12-Amdy Faye (AJ Auxerre) Born 12.3.77
Made his debut
for Senegal in the World Cup qualifier against Egypt but taken off at half-time
after uninspiring performance. In his second season at Auxerre but still only a
squad member in the Senegal set-up, having been to the recent Nations Cup finals
as midfield back-up.
20-Sylvain N'Diaye (Lille) Born 25.6.76.
Grandfather was
born in Senegal but Ndiaye had not been to the country until his debut in a
friendly against Algeria on December 30. Played at the Nations Cup finals in
Mali after being persuaded to throw in his lot with Senegal by coach Metsu.
Helped Lille from second division to European club competition in two
seasons.
23-Makhtar N'Diaye (Stade Rennes) Born 31.12.81
Wide player who was raised in France and is already in his third
season at Rennes despite his young age. Debut for Senegal in January 2001
against Senegal and started in the Nations Cup final against Cameroon in Bamako
on February 10.
3-Pape Sarr (RC Lens) Born 7.12.77
Another squad member whose football origins are more French than
Senegalese, having started his career in Europe, where he lived from an early
age. Sent off in the Nations Cup semifinals against Nigeria, which means he
missed February's final against Cameroon.
14-Moussa N'Diaye (Sedan) Born 20.2.79
A long-standing
regular in the Senegal set-up in comparison to many of the newcomers over the
last two years. Played first at French clubs Monaco and Istres before moving to
Sedan last season and scoring seven goals in their successful debut first
division campaign.
Forwards
7-Henri Camara (Sedan) Born 10.5.82
Former Diaraf Dakar player
who came to prominence at the 2000 Nations Cup finals, where he was the
outstanding performer in Senegal's team that came close to knocking out hosts
Nigeria at the quarter-final stage. Moved to Sedan last summer after winning the
Swiss championship with Grasshoppers.
9-Souleymane Camara (Monaco) Born 22.12.82
Teenage
reserve at Monaco who got his first international goal against Zambia at the
recent Nations Cup finals in Bamako. Aged just 17 when he debuted for Senegal in
October 2000 in the Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea.
11-El Hadji Diouf (RC Lens) Born 15.1.81
New star of
African football who was the leading goal scorer in the World Cup qualifiers for
the African zone. Got into trouble with his French club after returning late
from the Nations Cup in February but responded with more goals as Lens
challenged for the title.
18-Papa Thiaw (Strasbourg) Born
5.2.81
Another Senegalese international recently on the move,
signed by Strasbourg from Switzerland's Lausanne Sport in December. Began his
club career at St Etienne and made his international debut in January last year,
scoring a goal on his debut against Uganda.
8-Amara Traore (Gueugnon) Born 25.9.1965
Senegal's
senior soccer citizen who responded sporadically throughout his club career in
France to call-ups from his country for international duty. Picked to go the
Nations Cup finals in Mali earlier this year more for his motivation ability
with the younger players than his potency on the fields, now fading as he
approaches his 37th birthday.