Why you should watch every team at the 2018 World Cup

Senegal

This will be Senegal’s second World Cup and their first since 2002, when they became one of three African sides to reach the quarterfinals. They went unbeaten in CAF qualifying, winning Group D over Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and South Africa.

They had lost 2-1 to South Africa in November 2016, but the result was annulled after referee Joseph Lamptey was banned for life by FIFA for “unlawfully influencing the match.” Senegal won the replay a year later, 2-1. Upon review, the go-ahead penalty call was indeed a terrible and likely corrupt one.

Senegal bring an interesting England-heavy squad to Russia. Their entire midfield, including captain and West Ham starter Cheikhou Kouyate, plays in the Premier League or the Championship. Star Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane will lead the line alongside Moussa Konate and Mame Biram Diouf.

As is the case with a number of African teams, very few of Senegal’s players is based in the domestic league. Only 33-year-old goalkeeper Khadim N’Diaye even plays in Africa, for Guinean club Horoya AC, who have won seven of the last eight titles and each of the last four. Only one of the players who was called up to the preliminary roster plays in Senegal, keeper Pape Seydou N’Diaye (it is unclear whether the two N’Diayes are related).

Montreal Impact backup keeper Clement Diop was the only North America-based player who had a chance at being called up, but despite a call-up to the South Africa replay last November, Diop missed out entirely. That makes sense, because he was decidedly terrible for the LA Galaxy last year.

Senegal’s Group H, also featuring Colombia, Poland and Japan, is weak enough for the Lions of Teranga (again, African teams have the best nicknames) to slip into the round of 16.