Russia 2018: Senegal and Morocco name World Cup squads

Senegal and Morocco, the two African countries that were yet to name their World Cup squads have each named 23 man teams.

While Nigeria, Tunisia and Egypt named provisional squads of up to 30 players, which will be trimmed to 23 by June 4, Senegal and Morocco opted to name potentially final squads as early as possible.

Senegal compete in Group H at the World Cup, starting against Poland on June 19 in Moscow before playing Japan and Colombia, while Morocco are in Group B in Russia alongside Iran, Portugal and Spain.

Senegal will be led by Liverpool star forward Sadio Mane who will join the squad after playing in the May 26 Champions League final.

“For the last three years we have been together, this group has been working hard, focusing on continuity and cohesion, but the criteria of competitiveness was part of the selection equation,” Senegal’s coach Aliou Cisse told a news conference.

Cisse, who captained Senegal on their previous World Cup appearance 16 years ago, handed veteran striker Moussa Sow a place in the squad but left out Pape Souare, the Crystal Palace full back who was recalled for two friendlies in March after recovering from a car accident that almost cost him his career.

“We want to keep up the positive momentum of the qualifiers,” he added.

Senegal squad

Goalkeepers: Abdoulaye Diallo (Stade Rennes), Alfred Gomis (SPAL), Khadim Ndiaye (Horoya)

Defenders: Lamine Gassama (Alanyaspor), Saliou Ciss (Valenciennes), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Kara Mbodii (Anderlecht), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux), Salif Sane (Hannover 98), Moussa Wague (Eupen)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham United), Alfred Ndiaye (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Badou Ndiaye (Stoke City), Cheikh Ndoye (Birmingham City), Ismaila Sarr (Stade Rennes)

Forwards: Keita Balde (Monaco), Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke City), Moussa Konate (Amiens), Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Mbaye Niang (Torino), Diafra Sakho (Stade Rennes), Moussa Sow (Bursaspor). (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)

Morocco squad

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Girona), Mounir El Kajoui (Numancia), Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti (Ittihad Tanger)

Defenders: Badr Banoun (Raja Casablanca), Mehdi Benatia (Juventus), Manuel da Costa (Basaksehir), Nabil Dirar (Fenerbahce), Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid), Hamza Mendyl (Lille), Romain Saiss (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

Midfielders: Youssef Ait-Bennasser (Caen), Sofyan Amrabat (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Nordin Amrabat (Leganes), Younes Belhanda (Galatasaray), Mbark Boussoufa (Al Jazeera), Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Faycal Fajr (Getafe), Amine Harit (Schalke 04), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax Amsterdam)

Forwards: Aziz Bouhaddouz (St Pauli), Khalid Boutaib (Malatyaspor), Mehdi Carcela (Standard Liege), Ayoub El Kaabi (Renaissance Berkane)