Senegal’s national team is grappling with a significant injury crisis just days before the resumption of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with several key players sidelined ahead of crucial matches against Sudan and Togo.
Head coach Pape Thiaw is set to announce his squad later this week for the upcoming fixtures, but the list of absentees continues to grow.
One of the biggest blows is the confirmed unavailability of midfielder Habib Diarra, who suffered an ankle injury in the French league over a week ago.
The RC Strasbourg captain, who scored both goals in Senegal’s win over Burundi last November, is expected to be out of action for at least a month.
Adding to Senegal’s woes, Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, further depleting the attacking options available to Thiaw.
Abdallah Sima Joins Expanding Injury List
The situation worsened over the weekend with fresh injuries affecting key squad members. El Hadji Malick Diouf sustained a fractured fibula while playing for Slavia Prague, a setback that will keep him out for an extended period.
Meanwhile, Brest forward Abdallah Sima, who was a strong candidate for a return to the national team, was stretchered off before halftime during a match against Angers, despite having opened the scoring in his team’s 2-0 victory.
Concerns also linger over goalkeeper Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), left-back Fodé Ballo-Touré (Le Havre), and Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), though their injuries are believed to be less severe.
Their potential availability will depend on further medical assessments in the coming days.
The left-back position, in particular, presents a challenge for Thiaw, as Diouf, Jakobs, and Ballo-Touré are all dealing with fitness concerns.
This could prompt the coach to turn to alternative options such as Abdou Diallo (Al-Arabi SC) or consider younger prospects like Seydou Sano (Al-Gharafa) or Mikayil Faye (Rennes) as potential reinforcements.
With the squad announcement imminent, Senegal will be hoping for some positive injury updates, but Thiaw faces a difficult task in assembling a competitive side amid a mounting fitness crisis.
