El Hadji Malick Diouf has been included in Senegal’s squad for two vital 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers to be played later this month.
Our No12, who has so-far amassed eight senior caps, has once again been called up by national team boss Pape Thiaw, having made a very impressive start to life at West Ham United.
Diouf has registered three assists in his first six appearances in the Premier League, the most assists of any defender in Europe's top-five leagues. Indeed, only Michael Carrick (seven), Joe Cole (six), Jermain Defoe (six) and Frank Lampard (five) have recorded more assists for the Hammers in the English top-flight before their 21st birthday.
So, after winning his seventh and eighth caps for his country against South Sudan and DR Congo in September, he will now bid to help the Lions of Teranga secure a place at next summer’s finals in North America.
Senegal are eight games into their ten-match CAF Group B qualifying campaign, and - sitting two points clear at the top of the table - know maximum points in fixtures against South Sudan and Mauritania this month will be enough to earn just their fourth World Cup qualification.
First up, Diouf and his teammates will take on South Sudan at the Juba Stadium at 1pm BST on Friday 10 October, before they host Mauritania at Diamniadio Olympic Stadium in Diamniadio, Dakar, at 8pm BST on Tuesday 14 October.
Senegal's best and most famous appearance at a World Cup was in 2002, where they reached the quarter-finals of the tournament in Japan and South Korea. In 2018, they became the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated using the fair play rule, at the group stage, and in 2022, they were beaten 3-0 by England in the round of 16 in Qatar.
