Senegal's national football team, representing a nation on the westernmost edge of the African continent, began competing internationally in the decades following the country's independence from France on 4 April 1960. Based in Dakar — the country's capital and one of West Africa's most vibrant cities — the team is governed by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football and competes in African confederation (CAF) competitions as well as FIFA World Cup qualifying.
The team's most celebrated moment came at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where Senegal reached the quarter-finals on their tournament debut — a historic run that included a famous group-stage victory over defending champions France. That generation, led by figures such as El-Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao, captured the attention of world football and established Senegal as a serious force on the continent.
At the continental level, Senegal long fell agonisingly short of the Africa Cup of Nations title before finally lifting the trophy for the first time at AFCON 2021 (played in Cameroon in January–February 2022), defeating Egypt on penalties in the final. The squad was anchored by Liverpool forward Sadio Mané, who has become the defining figure of modern Senegalese football. Senegal also qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, advancing from the group stage.
Driven by a passionate footballing culture rooted in the country's diverse ethnic communities and a strong diaspora presence in European leagues, Senegal's identity in world football is that of an athletically dynamic, collectively driven side that punches above its weight on the global stage.