Senegal head to Qatar 2022 as the highest-ranked African side in FIFA’s rankings and harbouring ambitions of bettering their own best-ever finish at the tournament for a side from their continent, their quarter-final run two decades ago.

Confidence is high following their maiden triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and expectations back home are that Aliou Cisse’s men can upset the old world order of European and South American dominance.

However talismanic forward Sadio Mane, despite initially being included in their squad after suffering a leg injury while playing for Bayern Munich, is now ruled out.

Which Chelsea players do Senegal have?

Edouard Mendy is the first-choice goalkeeper for the Lions of Teranga, having played that role to great effect during their triumphant Africa Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year, saving a decisive shoot-out penalty in the final against Egypt.

He has returned between the posts for Chelsea in recent weeks and played all but one of Senegal’s eight qualifiers to reach the final tournament, helping them past Egypt once again in the crucial two-legged play-off.

The 30-year-old will be protected by a backline featuring Kalidou Koulibaly, who played for France at the Under-20 World Cup in 2011 before switching to the nation of his parents. The defender is likely to captain the side in Qatar, as he did on the way to glory in Cameroon back in February, and the African champions will be hopeful of bettering their exit at the group stage in 2018.

Who else is in Senegal's squad?

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Alfred Gomis (Rennes), Seny Dieng (QPR)

Defenders: Kalidou Kouliabaly (Chelsea), Pape-Abou Cisse (Olympiacos), Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan), Ismail Jakobs (Monaco), Formose Mendy (Amiens), Abdou Diallo (RB Leipzig), Youssouf Sabaly (Real Betis)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Cheikhou Kouyate (Nottingham Forest), Pape Gueye (Marseille), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Mamadou Loum (Reading), Moustapha Name (Pafos)

Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Salernitana), Bamba Dieng (Marseille), Ismaila Sarr (Watford), Iliman Ndiaye (Sheffield United), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor), Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal)

What teams are in Senegal's group?

Senegal have been drawn in Group A and so will be one of the first teams in action when the games get underway in Qatar. They will take on the hosts as well as Ecuador and the Netherlands, all new tournament opponents for Cisse’s side in their third World Cup appearance.

European foes are nothing new after previous outings against France, Denmark, Sweden and Poland at their two previous tournaments, with the team unbeaten across those four matches.

When are Senegal's fixtures?

Senegal v Netherlands, Doha, 21 November, 4pm (UK)

Qatar v Senegal, Doha, 25 November, 1pm (UK)

Ecuador v Senegal, Al Rayyan, 29 November, 3pm (UK)

How did Senegal qualify?

As the highest-ranked side from Africa, Senegal were seeded straight into the second round of CAF qualifying and navigated an unbeaten campaign in a group alongside Congo, Namibia and Togo, dropping just two points along the way.

The 10 group winners were then paired up for the final play-offs, which saw Senegal and Egypt face off again just a month after the Africa Cup of Nations final. Following a 1-0 defeat in Cairo, Senegal restored parity in the return leg before another penalty shoot-out was needed to separate the two sides.

Koulibaly was among the opening four spot-kick takers to be denied before Mendy’s heroics took centre stage as he kept out Mostafa Mohamed. Mane then converted the crucial penalty to seal a 4-2 shoot-out victory.

What is Senegal's World Cup history?

Qatar 2022 will be Senegal’s third appearance at the global football tournament and their second in a row following previous involvement in Japan and South Korea 2002 and Russia 2018.

Their maiden World Cup was a memorable one as they shocked world champions France in Seoul, with Papa Bouba Diop firing in the winner. That set the tone for an unbeaten group campaign and progress to the last-16 as group runners-up. They then squeezed past Sweden after extra-time in the knockout round before finally succumbing to Turkey in the quarter-finals, the furthest any African nation has reached at a World Cup finals.

Fast forward 16 years and the Lions of Teranga were back on the big stage in Russia under current coach Cisse. It was another stunning start as they beat Poland in the group opener but a draw with Japan and defeat to Colombia saw them finish tied for the runners-up spot with exactly the same record as the Japanese.

It meant Senegal became the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated using the fair play rule, with their six bookings to Japan’s four proving decisive.