Mondiale U17 Brasile 2019 - SENEGAL

https://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/teams/team/1889670/profile/

FIFA U-17 World Cup history

Despite being a heavyweight of African football, this will be Senegal’s maiden appearance at the event. This is all the more surprising given that 18 other African teams have already represented the continent at the U-17 World Cup.

The road to Brazil

• Senegal will compete in South America in part because of the disqualification of Guinea, but also because of their fine performances at the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Tanzania. 
• Although the Young Lions of Teranga narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth there, which would have meant automatic qualification, they nonetheless recorded group stage draws with Morocco and eventual champions Cameroon to finish third in their section behind the aforementioned Guineans.

The coach

• Malick Daf, who was Joseph Koto’s assistant at the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015, is relishing his second outing on the world stage – this time as head coach. 
• A former playmaker, Daf is also coach of Jaraaf Dakar, whom he led to the Senegalese Premier League title in 2018. 
• He is now the first coach to steer Senegal to an U-17 World Cup.

Did you know?

• In Tanzania, Senegal made their first appearance at the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for eight years and only their second overall.
• A pillar of the U-17 national team, Pape Matar Sarr was a regular starter this season with the country’s Premier League champions Generation Foot. 
• The club’s academy has a proud record of developing talent, having produced the likes of Papiss Cisse, Diafra Sakho, Ismaila Sarr and one Sadio Mane.