This was Vieira’s first squad since he was officially unveiled to lead the Lions of Teranga after replacing Pape Thiaw.
Thiaw was sent packing in the aftermath of the country’s exit at the last-32 stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Lions of Teranga, who had been managed by Thiaw since December 2024, were beaten by France and Norway in their opening two group games.
Sadio Mane is among the players missing from Vieira’s squad alongside Edouard Mendy, who has retired from international football, while Kalidou Koulibaly and Malang Sarr were named in the squad.
‘Mane has a minor injury’
Explaining Mane’s absence, Vieira said: “Sadio Mane has a minor injury, which is the reason for his absence, but he will be available for the next training camp.”
Another player missing from the squad is winger Krepin Diatta, who doesn’t have a club after leaving AS Monaco.
“The answer is quite simple and clear: Krepin Diatta isn’t here because he doesn’t have a club,” Vieira told the media as quoted by Wiw Sport.
“He needs to resolve this issue to be in the national team. He’s a player I like a lot. He had a very good World Cup.”
In the absence of Mendy, Vieira named four goalkeepers among them, Yehvann Diouf (OGC Nice), Demba Thiam (AC Monza), Mamour Ndiaye (AS Saint-Etienne), and Mory Diaw (Al-Shabab).
‘It’s a homecoming’
On his appointment to handle Senegal, Vieira said: “It’s a source of pride for me to return to Senegal and be the national team coach.
“I was born here, my parents were born here, and it’s a homecoming. For me, the answer was very quick and instantaneous. It’s a project that interests me, and I wanted to embark on this adventure.
“It's not about starting from scratch. It’s about respecting what the Federation has put in place over the past few years and, building on that, creating a new chapter, opening a new stage.
“The strength of this team, its identity, its solidarity, its ability to suffer together.”
On what he will do to succeed with the team, he said: “To succeed in this project, I will need the nation, the unity of the nation. It will be important to be united, it will be important to have these ambitions, which is to qualify.”
Senegal will play Mozambique on September 25th in Maputo, followed by another match against Ethiopia on September 29th in Bahir Dar, as part of their 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The West Africans will conclude the upcoming international window with a friendly match against Comoros on October 4th at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille.
Senegal squad
Goalkeepers: Yehvann Diouf (OGC Nice), Demba Thiam (AC Monza), Mamour Ndiaye (AS Saint-Etienne), Mory Diaw (Al-Shabab).
Defenders: Mamadou Sarr (Real Sociedad), Moussa Niakhaté (OL), Sadibou Sané (AS Monaco), Nobel Mendy (Hull City), Malang Sarr (NEOM), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Brentford), Arouna Sangante (FC Seville), Lamine Sy (AJ Auxerre), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal).
Midfielders: Lamine Camara (AS Monaco), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Pape Matar Sarr (Juventus), Rassoul Ndiaye (Le Havre AC), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Al-Diriyah), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern).
Forwards: Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa), Ibrahim Mbaye (Aston Villa), Assane Diao (Como), Mamadou Diakhon (Club Bruges), Boulaye Dia (Stade Rennais), Abdallah Sima (RC Lens), Iliman Ndiaye (Manchester City), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace), Pape Moussa Fall (FC Metz), Issa Soumaré (Stade Rennais).
