Senegal are the reigning African champions and are one of the strongest African teams in World Cup history. Their opening match against France in New Jersey promises to be an emotional affair – with its colonial history, the fact that it is home to many Senegalese players, and world-class talent on both sides. Coach Pape Thiaw took up the post in December 2024.

Coach Pape Thiaw has named three goalkeepers for the Lions of Teranga: Édouard Mendy, Mory Diaw and Yehvann Diouf. Senegal is one of Africa’s strongest nations and will face France, Norway and Iraq in Group I. The trio of goalkeepers represent a variety of backgrounds – from the PSG academy and Chelsea to two AFC Champions League titles in Saudi Arabia.

Mendy’s career began with him being shown the door. After being released by Cherbourg in 2014, he was on the brink of ending his professional career. What followed was a quiet rise through Reims and Rennes, culminating in a €24 million move to Chelsea in 2020 – where he won the Champions League in his first season and was voted FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year.

In 2023, he moved to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, where he won the AFC Champions League twice in a row. This makes him the first goalkeeper ever to have won both continental elite competitions – in Europe and Asia. His record in finals is unrivalled: seven finals, seven clean sheets. He has represented Senegal since 2018 and was part of the 2022 AFCON-winning squad. At 194 cm tall, with his absolute composure and this winning record, he is exactly the goalkeeper Senegal needs in a group featuring France.

Diaw, 32 years old and born in Poissy near Paris, came through the PSG academy – but never turned professional. His career took him through Portugal, Bulgaria, Switzerland and finally back to France: in 67 Ligue 1 matches for Clermont Foot, he established himself as a reliable first-choice goalkeeper. He has been playing for Le Havre since July 2025, where he signed a two-year contract. At 197 cm, he is one of the tallest goalkeepers in the entire tournament. He made his international debut as recently as June 2023 against Brazil – the World Cup is his first major appearance and the well-deserved reward for a career without shortcuts.

Diouf, 26 years old and born in Montreuil-sous-Bois, did not make a name for himself at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations through his saves – but through his loyalty. In the final against Morocco, ball boys and opposing players repeatedly tried to take Mendy’s towel away. Diouf guarded it with a display of dedication that went viral worldwide. On the pitch, he is an established Ligue 1 goalkeeper: after 101 appearances for Reims, he moved to OGC Nice in the summer of 2025 for €7 million, signing a contract until 2030. He is Senegal’s goalkeeping prospect for the next decade.