Senegal team picture before the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Afcon Finals Final match between Senegal and Egypt held at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon on 06 February 2022 (Photo by Alain Guy Suffo/Sports via CFP)
Sadio Mane has been called up to the Senegalese national team ahead of their two-legged tie against Egypt in the CAF qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Liverpool star is one of 26 players called up by coach Aliou Cisse as the West Africans seek to qualify for the World Cup for a second consecutive time, the first time they would achieve this if they succeed.
This will be the Teranga Lions first time together back on the pitch since they lifted their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations trophy in February.
Senegal has enjoyed a stellar footballing period over the last five years, a period in which they also reached the 2018 FIFA World Cup and appeared in the final of the 2019 AFCON.
Ahead of the games scheduled to be played on March 25 and 29, Cisse expressed his desire to overcome the Egyptians once again, following their victory over them in the 2021 AFCON tournament.
"The World Cup is another competition, we will do everything to qualify," said Cisse.
"Top-level football does not feed on the past. Today, we are facing two very important deadlines for Senegalese football."
Also included in Cisse's team are Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, Watford's Ismaila Sarr and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Here's the full list of players selected;
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea, England), Alioune Badara Faty (Casa Sport), Bingourou Camara (Sporting Charleroi, Belgium)
Defenders: Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich, Germany), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, Italy) Abdou Diallo (PSG), Saliou Ciss (AS Nancy France), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos, Greece), Fode-Ballo Toure (AC Milan, Italy), Youssouf Sabaly (Sevilla, Spain), Abdoulaye Seck (Antwerp, Belgium)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (PSG, France), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City, England), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace, England), Pape Matar Sarr (Metz, France), Moustapha Name (Paris FC, France), Loum Ndiaye (FC Porto, Portugal), Pape Gueye (Marseille, France)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Ismaila Sarr (Watford, England), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Bamba Dieng (Marseille, France), Keita Balde Diao (Cagliari, Italy), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg, France), Mame Baba Thiam (Kayserispor, Turkey), Boulaye Dia (Villarreal, Spain)