Defender Abdou Diallo says Senegal are aiming to do better than any other African nation by reaching the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar.
No side from the continent has made it past the quarter-finals, with Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and most recently Ghana (2010) knocked out in the last eight – all after extra time or penalties.Diallo says the African champions, who exited the 2018 tournament in the group stage, want to “break a glass ceiling” when they embark on their third World Cup finals.
“Even though we can’t see the future, you have to be convinced that you definitely can achieve it,” the 26-year-old Paris St-Germain centre-back told BBC Sport Africa.
“We also had a glass ceiling in the Nations Cup final and we broke it, so my dream is to break another one. If we manage to do that, I will be the happiest.
“There are no complexes. If we don’t make it, we don’t make it, but you have to accept that pressure because it means that we are doing a good job.”
Senegal begin their Group A campaign against three-time runners-up the Netherlands on 21 November before they play hosts Qatar on 25 November and finally Ecuador four days later.
The influence of the class of 2002
Two decades ago, Senegal stunned defending champions France with an unexpected 1-0 win on their World Cup debut.
The West Africans then drew with Denmark and Uruguay and beat Sweden 2-1 to reach the quarter-finals, before being eliminated 1-0 by Turkey after a golden goal in the fourth minute of extra time.
Regarded as the golden generation of Senegalese football, Diallo has fond memories of the famed squad that played in South Korea and Japan in 2002.
“I get flashes of my father lifting me in the air, I remember the neighbours complaining about the noise,” he said.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse was part of that trailblazing squad, while fellow members of the side such as El Hadji Diouf provide inspiration to the current Teranga Lions squad.
“These are our big brothers, we grew up with them, we were told about them all the time,” Diallo said.
“That generation really inspired us and 20 years later, we got into the Nations Cup final again, won it this time and had our older brothers with us, celebrating as if they had won it themselves. It was great.”
Former Lens and Liverpool forward Diouf was with the Senegal squad in Cameroon, and Diallo says Diouf “remains a player” in spirit and provides positivity.
“I think he will be one forever. Any type of game we’re playing, he’s there,” he added.
“It’s good, he lights up and he is a true [ray of] sunshine when he comes. He puts us in that mindset: ‘You are the best, you are going to win’.
“We can feel that he is behind us, he is also close friends with the manager that was his captain. It’s always nice to have our elders and to be united.
“Now it’s our turn [at the World Cup]. We have to write this country’s history and we’ll see where it gets us.”
SOURCE: BBC NEWS