National football team: Vieira’s first list, the new faces who could emerge September 18, 2026

A few hours before Patrick Vieira’s first list, eyes are turning to the new faces likely to join the Lair. In a group expected to evolve gradually, several players, already performing well at club or returning to the forefront, can claim a place.

This Friday, at 10:30 a.m., the brand new Lions coach, Patrick Vieira, will appear before the press. On the menu: the publication of its first list for the CAN 2027 qualifiers, with matches against Mozambique and Ethiopia, as well as the friendly match against the Comoros. The former captain of the Blues will thus give the first outlines of his project with the Lions. The challenge will not only be to know which executives will be renewed. This first list will be mainly scrutinized for possible new features. Because behind a generation that has worn the Lions for a long time, several players, particularly young ones, are starting to push towards the doors of the Lair.

Lamine Sy, a first call-up in sight?

Lamine Sy could be one of the new faces of the Vieira era. The AJ Auxerre right-back has gradually settled into Ligue 1 and his profile can offer an additional solution in a sector where options are currently limited. Krépin Diatta is without a club, Antoine Mendy is away from the field after his cruciate ligament rupture, while Ilay Camara has also been injured since the start of the season. In this context, Sy’s profile takes on greater significance. His name is also circulating with insistence on the eve of the announcement. Several press reports even suggest a summons for the 24-year-old player for this first gathering.

Sadibou Sané, the new rock of defense?

In defense, Sadibou Sané could also experience his first call-up. Trained at Génération Foot, passed through FC Metz and now a player for AS Monaco, the 22-year-old central defender continues his progress at the highest level. His arrival in the Principality constitutes a new stage in an upward journey. His profile, particularly his power and his potential in duels, can support the gradual renewal of the Senegalese defense. His name is also one of the players announced around this first Vieira list. Next to him, Malang Sarr constitutes a different case. At 27 years old, he does not belong to the very young generation, but his possible arrival would also respond to the desire to gradually renew the group. The former Lens defender, now at Neom, is announced among the players likely to discover the Senegalese selection.

Mamadou Diakhon, returning to settle down?

Mamadou Diakhon could find the Lair again. Already called up last March, the Club Brugge striker belongs to this offensive generation expected to take up more space. At 20 years old, his profile as a fast and impactful winger offers an alternative in a sector where responsibilities could gradually be redistributed. His return would be less of a discovery than a new opportunity to show that he can stay with the Lions for the long term. His name is also circulating around this first list.

Rassoul Ndiaye, the return of a captain

Another profile to watch: Rassoul Ndiaye. Already an international, the Le Havre AC midfielder could return to the selection after a period of absence. However, its club status has evolved. Now captain of the HAC, the 24-year-old arrives with additional responsibility and increased high-level experience. His return would therefore have a special meaning. It would no longer simply be a question of recalling a former international, but of reintegrating a player who has taken on a new dimension in his club. Several sources actually announce his return to Vieira’s group.

Pape Demba Diop, a place to win in the middle

Pape Demba Diop could also enter into the thinking of the new coach. The 23-year-old midfielder has had an interesting start to the season with Strasbourg, where he has gradually won his place in the eleven. After a 2025-2026 season shared between Toulouse and Nuremberg, Pape D. Diop returned to Strasbourg with a different status. In Ligue 1, he has already made four appearances, including three starts. After coming on for 22 minutes against Marseille on the first day, he played all of the following three matches against Lens, Troyes and Monaco. He has certainly not yet been decisive on a statistical level this season, with zero goals and zero assists, but these performances in the Strasbourg midfield are attracting attention.

Those who could still wait

The first list could also hold some surprises. Some players do not necessarily appear to be immediate candidates, but their development is worth following. Amara Diouf is one of them. At only 18 years old, the former resident of Génération Foot joined Fenerbahçe this summer for five years. The striker, already a Senegalese international at the age of 15, has however not yet played a single minute with the Turkish club and is currently affected by a muscle injury. He is one of those young players who embody the future of the Lions. Another name to follow, Massiré Sylla. The central defender of Union Saint-Gilloise, aged 21 and measuring 1.96 m, has moved into the Belgian eleven. He has five appearances and 450 minutes in the league this season, with five starts.

He also played in European matches. He continues to perform well with the Belgian club. Arouna Sanganté is also a profile that can enter into this reflection. The 24-year-old defender left Le Havre to join Sevilla FC this summer. Captain of the HAC since he was 20, he has already started three La Liga matches this season, for 214 minutes. He therefore has high-level experience and a new Spanish context to bring to bear. To these names can be added Assane Sow, at FC Basel, and other young Senegalese whose progression in club could gradually bring them closer to the selection. The question now is whether Vieira will choose to integrate them immediately or continue their observation before opening the doors of the Lair to them.

The future executives are already here

While several new players may arrive, another generation is already in a different position. She is no longer just called upon to take over: she can gradually become the new foundation of the Lions. Ismaïla Sarr, Pape Gueye and Moussa Niakhaté belong to this category. Their international experience, their age and their experience at the highest level can allow them to assume more responsibilities in the next cycle. Pape Gueye, in particular, remains an important player in the midfield of Senegal and Villarreal. In defense, Moussa Niakhaté also remains an experienced player with a lot of character. This intermediate generation could therefore serve as a bridge between old executives and new arrivals.

Finally, Ismaïla Sarr can legitimately apply to succeed Kalidou Koulibaly as captain. The change of generation does not mean that all the old ones have already left the scene. Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye remain, for the moment, figures of this generation which has marked the recent history of Senegalese football. The only one to have officially announced his international retirement is Édouard Mendy. For the other three, silence remains. They have not, at this stage, announced their withdrawal from the selection. Their future with the Lions therefore remains open.

But one thing is already certain: behind them, the competition is getting organized. The youth are putting pressure on and want to find a place in this selection. Patrick Vieira’s list will perhaps allow us to discover some of them. Above all, it will allow us to measure to what extent the new coach wishes to accelerate this transition. Because the old ones are still there. Some young people are already settled. And a new wave is biding its time.

Yaya SOW