Friendlies: Cheikh Niasse called up as reinforcement for the Senegal Lions

Senegal is bolstering its squad ahead of the upcoming friendly matches. In preparation for high-stakes showdowns against Ireland (June 7 in Dublin) and England (June 10 in Nottingham), head coach Pape Thiaw has decided to call up Cheikh Niasse, the defensive midfielder from Hellas Verona.

The 25-year-old, who can also slot in as a central defender, has been summoned as reinforcement, as announced by his Italian club. Here’s a glimpse:

It's worth noting that, for now, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has not officially communicated the reasons behind this late call-up, leaving some uncertainty as to whether there has been a withdrawal from the initial squad.

Niasse is eager to make his mark!

Niasse returns to the national team just a few months after his first call-up last March. A muscle injury had previously prevented him from making his debut for Senegal. This time, he’s hoping to finally earn his first cap.

Trained at Lille and with stints at Panathinaikos and Young Boys, the Gossas native comes off a strong season, having featured in 35 matches across all competitions and clocked over 2,000 minutes of play.

This is a golden opportunity for him to impress ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which kick off in September.

Amine Jomni |

Editorfr

African football writer and sports journalist covering football news, stories and insights while sharing his expertise with fans across the continent.