Ismail Jakobs reportedly considers Senegal retirement after Patrick Vieira omission

Ismail Jakobs is reportedly considering international retirement after being left out of Patrick Vieira’s first Senegal squad, although the Galatasaray defender has not confirmed the claim.

Journalist Fatima Sylla reported that Jakobs could be the latest member of Senegal’s 2026 World Cup squad to end his international career, following the recent retirements of Cherif Ndiaye and Edouard Mendy.

The 27-year-old was not selected for Senegal’s upcoming fixtures against Mozambique on 25 September and Ethiopia on 29 September in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He was also omitted from the team due to face Comoros in a friendly in Marseille five days later.

Jakobs finished the 2026 World Cup as Senegal’s first-choice left-back. He did not play in the opening 3-1 defeat by France, but appeared for around 30 minutes in the 3-2 loss to Norway before completing the entire match against Iraq, which Senegal won 0-5.

The Galatasaray player then started Senegal’s last-16 tie against Belgium, with the Lions of Teranga eliminated after a 3-2 defeat following extra time.

Born in Cologne to a Senegalese father and German mother, Jakobs initially represented Germany and won the European Under-21 Championship with them. He later chose to play for Senegal, making his debut in September 2022, a few months after the country’s historic Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2021.

He has since won 33 caps for Senegal.

Jakobs was a regular under former manager Aliou Cisse before becoming more of a squad player under Pape Thiaw. He also featured at the 2022 World Cup, where he was an established member of the side, and has appeared at two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2023 and 2025.

Senegal were eliminated in the last 16 at the 2023 tournament. Their 2025 campaign ended with victory on the pitch, but the final outcome remains subject to a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Jakobs and his team-mates were stripped of the title after Morocco appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has since filed its own appeal, leaving the left-footed defender awaiting the final verdict.

Vieira’s first Senegal squad will therefore begin a new phase without one of the players who featured prominently in the team’s recent major tournaments, while Jakobs’ international future remains unresolved pending confirmation from the player.