Established in the early 1960s, the team have been regular competitors in the Africa Cup of Nations, where their best performances were runner-up to Cameroon in the 2002 edition in Mali, and to Algeria in the 2019 edition in Egypt. In the same year as their first time being runners-up, Senegal took part at the FIFA World Cup for the first time and reached the quarter-finals, having defeated reigning champions France in the opening game. The team made their second World Cup appearance sixteen years later, earning four points, being eliminated in the group stage against Japan based on fair play points.
History
Early history
Senegal gained its independence from France on 4 April 1960, and the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) was founded that year. The first Senegal match took place on 31 December 1961 against Dahomey (current Benin). Senegal lost 3–2.
Senegal's first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1965, where they finished second in their group, and lost 1–0 to Ivory Coast to finish in fourth place.
1990s
In the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal finished fourth. Senegal hosted the 1992 tournament. After finishing second in their group, they were eliminated by Cameroon in the quarterfinals. Senegal qualified for four of six African championships that decade.
2000s
Senegal's best finish in the African Cup of Nations came in 2002, where they lost the final on a penalty shootout after drawing 0–0 with Cameroon.[3] Later that year, Senegal made their first-ever world championship appearance at the World Cup. Senegal eventually reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup, one of only three African teams to do so (the first being Cameroon in 1990; the other being Ghana in 2010). In the group, after defeating defending world champions France, they drew with Denmark and Uruguay, and beat Sweden in extra time in the round of 16, before losing to Turkey in the quarter-finals.[4][5]
Senegal qualified for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, but finished third in their group with two points. They failed to make the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the first World Cup to be held in Africa.
After Senegal's former manager Bruno Metsu died on 14 October 2013, many Senegalese players were recalled to appear and have a moment of silence in memory of the manager who helped them reach the quarter-final in the 2002 World Cup. All activities of the national league and the national team were suspended for a few days in his memory.
The West African nation narrowly missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup after losing in a round-robin match against Ivory Coast in the final qualification round. Senegal qualified for two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments since, being eliminated in the group stage in 2015 and reaching the quarterfinals in 2017. On 10 November 2017, after defeating South Africa 2–0,[6] Senegal qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[7] the second in its history after the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.[8] Senegal defeated Poland 2–1 in their opening group match.[9] The first goal was an own goal by Thiago Cionek,[10] and the second one was scored by M'Baye Niang.[11] In the next group stage match, Senegal drew 2–2 against Japan with one goal by Sadio Mané and the other by Moussa Wagué.[12] However, despite having a great advantage, they missed the opportunity by losing 0–1 to Colombia,[13] and due to poor fair play point comparing to Japan, who also lost 0–1 to Poland,[14] Senegal was eliminated in the group stage for the first time in their World Cup history.[15]
Senegal achieved a very successful campaign in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations under the same management of Aliou Cissé, who participated in the 2002 final before. Under Cissé, Senegal entered into their first ever final in seventeen years, beating almost every opponent in the process.[16] However, Senegal had failed to beat one opponent throughout the entire tournament, Algeria, with the team lost 0–1 twice to Algeria, including the 2019 final, thus failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in its history.[17][18]
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.
Records
As of 17 November 2019
Players in bold text are still active with Senegal.
(4 April 2024)[1]
British Gambia 1–2 French Senegal .svg){kind=small}
Senegal 7–0 Mauritius 
Czechoslovakia 11–0 Senegal 
1930
1934
1938
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1990
1994
2002
2010
2014
2018
2022
1957 to 
1959
1962 to 
1963
1965
1980
1982 to 
1984
1988
1990
1998
2002
2010
2012
2021 to 
2025
2011
2016
1965
1987
52' (o.g.)
Madagascar 
Tanzania 
Benin 
Gençlerbirliği
Club Brugge
Porto
Olympiacos
Al-Shabab
Monaco
