Senegal and the Netherlands clash in their first game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Senegal are still reeling from the news that star player and Ballon d'Or runner-up Sadio Mane will not be participating in the tournament, after he failed to recover from an injury sustained at club level with Bayern Munich.
The Netherlands, looking for redemption after missing the last World Cup, are faring slightly better on the injury front with Memphis Depay not yet ready to start as he works his way back to full fitness.
Below are the confirmed lineups for both teams.
MORE: Senegal vs Netherlands live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Group A match
Senegal vs Netherlands lineups
With Mane's absence from the tournament confirmed in recent days, coach Aliou Cisse will be relying heavily on Watford's Ismaila Sarr and Monaco's Krepin Diatta to provide the attacking impetus; their defence is still solid with Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy and centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly providing a robust platform.
Outside of Depay, the Netherlands have more or less a full complement of players to pick from, with Virgil van Dijk playing at his first ever major international tournament.
Below are the confirmed starting lineups for both teams ahead of their match at Al Thumama Stadium on November 21.
MORE: Odds for Senegal vs Netherlands: Our best tips and predictions
Senegal starting 11 (confirmed)
(4-3-3, right to left): 1-E. Mendy (GK) — 21-Sabaly, 12-P. Cisse, 3-Koulibaly, 4-A. Diallo — 8-Kouyate, 6-N. Mendy, 5-I. Gueye — 15-Diatta, 21-Dia, 18-I. Sarr
- Injured: Fodo Ballo-Toure (reportedly missed final training due to unspecified discomfort), Sadio Mane (out for tournament)
- Suspended: —
- Out: Ismail Jakobs (administrative issue)
Ismaila Sarr who will come into the side to replace Mane on the wing, and will need to give expert service to striker Boulaye Dia if the African champions are to breach the Dutch defence.
Idrissa Gana Gueye will provide much of the legwork and defensive protection in midfield, operating alongside Nampalys Mendy and Nottingham Forest's Cheikhou Kouyate.
Netherlands starting 11 (confirmed)
(3-4-1-2, right to left): 23-Noppert (GK) — 3-De Ligt, 4-Van Dijk, 5-Ake — 22-Dumfries, 11-Berghuis, 21-F. De Jong, 17-Blind — 8-Gakpo — 18-Janssen, 7-Bergwijn
- Injured: Memphis Depay (potential substitute)
- Suspended: n/a
SC Heerenveen goalkeeper Andries Noppert, 28, makes his Netherlands senior debut in the World Cup opener ahead of the other two 'keepers including 39-year-old Remko Pasveer of Ajax.
Vincent Janssen start in place of Depay and alongside Steven Bergwijn at forward, with Cody Gakpo just behind them. In midfield Ajax's Steven Berghuis gets the nod to support Barcelona string-puller Frenkie de Jong.
Senegal vs Netherlands World Cup squads
Here are the 26 names on Senegal's current World Cup roster in Qatar:
Senegal
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Edouard Mendy | Chelsea (ENG) | 30 | 25 |
| GK | 25 | Alfred Gomis | Rennes (FRA) | 29 | 14 |
| GK | 23 | Seny Dieng | Queens Park Rangers (ENG) | 27 | 3 |
| DEF | 3 | Kalidou Koulibaly | Chelsea (ENG) | 31 | 63 |
| DEF | 12 | Pape Abou Cisse | Olympiacos (GRE) | 27 | 12 |
| DEF | 4 | Abdou Diallo | RB Leipzig (GER) | 26 | 18 |
| DEF | 22 | Fode Ballo-Toure | AC Milan (ITA) | 25 | 14 |
| DEF | 14 | Moustapha Name | Pafos (CYP) | 27 | 6 |
| DEF | 11 | Formose Mendy | Amiens (FRA) | 21 | 2 |
| DEF | 2 | Moussa N'Diaye | Anderlecht (BEL) | 20 | 0 |
| DEF | 7 | Youssouf Sabaly | Real Betis (SPA) | 29 | 24 |
| DEF | 8 | Cheikhou Kouyate | Nottingham Forest (ENG) | 32 | 82 |
| MID | 5 | Idrissa Gueye | Everton (ENG) | 33 | 95 |
| MID | 6 | Nampalys Mendy | Leicester City (ENG) | 30 | 18 |
| MID | 13 | Pape Gueye | Marseille (FRA) | 23 | 11 |
| MID | 17 | Pape Matar Sarr | Tottenham (ENG) | 20 | 8 |
| MID | 24 | Mamadou Loum N'Diaye | Reading (ENG) | 25 | 3 |
| MID | 16 | Pathe Ciss | Rayo Vallecano (SPA) | 28 | 0 |
| MID | 15 | Krepin Diatta | Monaco (FRA) | 23 | 25 |
| FWD | 18 | Ismalia Sarr | Watford (ENG) | 24 | 47 |
| FWD | 21 | Boulaye Dia | Salernitana (ITA) | 25 | 18 |
| FWD | 20 | Bamba Dieng | Marseille (FRA) | 22 | 12 |
| FWD | 9 | Iliman Ndiaye | Sheffield United (ENG) | 27 | 14 |
| FWD | 19 | Famara Diedhou | Alanyaspor (TUR) | 29 | 24 |
| FWD | 25 | Nicolas Jackson | Villarreal (SPA) | 21 | 22 |
*Mane was originally in the squad, but withdrew because of injury
And these are the players aiming for World Cup glory with the Netherlands:
Netherlands
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Remko Pasveer | Ajax (NED) | 38 | 2 |
| GK | 23 | Andries Noppert | Heerenveen (NED) | 28 | 0 |
| GK | 13 | Justin Bijlow | Feyenoord (NED) | 24 | 6 |
| DEF | 4 | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool (ENG) | 31 | 49 |
| DEF | 5 | Nathan Ake | Manchester City (ENG) | 27 | 29 |
| DEF | 26 | Jeremie Frimpong | Bayer Leverkusen (NED) | 21 | 0 |
| DEF | 6 | Stefan de Vrij | Inter (ITA) | 30 | 59 |
| DEF | 17 | Daley Blind | Ajax (NED) | 32 | 94 |
| DEF | 3 | Matthijs de Ligt | Bayern Munich (GER) | 23 | 38 |
| DEF | 16 | Tyrell Malacia | Manchester United (ENG) | 23 | 6 |
| DEF | 2 | Jurrien Timber | Ajax (NED) | 21 | 10 |
| DEF | 22 | Denzel Dumfries | Inter (ITA) | 26 | 37 |
| MID | 21 | Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona (SPA) | 25 | 45 |
| MID | 14 | Davy Klassen | Ajax (NED) | 29 | 35 |
| MID | 25 | Xavi Simons | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 19 | 0 |
| MID | 11 | Steven Berghuis | Ajax (NED) | 30 | 39 |
| MID | 15 | Marten de Roon | Atalanta (ITA) | 31 | 30 |
| MID | 24 | Kenneth Taylor | Ajax (NED) | 20 | 2 |
| MID | 20 | Teun Koopmeiners | Atalanta (ITA) | 24 | 9 |
| FWD | 10 | Memphis Depay | Barcelona (SPA) | 28 | 81 |
| FWD | 7 | Steven Bergwijn | Ajax (NED) | 25 | 24 |
| FWD | 8 | Cody Gakpo | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 23 | 9 |
| FWD | 19 | Wout Weghorst | Besiktas (TUR) | 30 | 15 |
| FWD | 18 | Vincent Janssen | Royal Antwerp (BEL) | 28 | 20 |
| FWD | 9 | Luuk de Jong | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | 32 | 38 |
| FWD | 12 | Noa Lang | Club Brugge (BEL) | 23 | 5 |