Senegal: after Mendy and Kouyaté, the 2022 African champions’ generation begins its renewal

Pape Gueye, Lamine Camara and Pape Matar Sarr embody the next generation of the Lions

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Senegal: after Mendy and Kouyaté, the 2022 African champions’ generation begins its renewal

Senegal is gradually seeing several figures from the generation that won its first Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 depart. After Édouard Mendy, who announced his international retirement in September 2026, Cheikhou Kouyaté also turned the page on his time with the Lions in October. Other senior players remain active, but the renewal of the national team is now a central issue.

A chapter is closing for the Lions of Teranga. For several years, Édouard Mendy, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye embodied the stability of a team that reached the summit of African football under Aliou Cissé.

The first continental title, secured on February 6, 2022, against Egypt after a penalty shootout, crowned this generation. Four years later, Mendy and Kouyaté’s departures mark a new stage in its evolution.

Édouard Mendy and Cheikhou Kouyaté, two figures who are leaving

On September 13, 2026, Édouard Mendy announced the end of his international career after eight years with Senegal. The Al-Ahli goalkeeper made 59 appearances for the Lions, won the 2021 AFCON and took part in the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.

His name will remain associated with Senegal’s first continental title. Against Egypt in the 2021 AFCON final, he kept a clean sheet through extra time before helping secure victory in the penalty shootout. He was also named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

Cheikhou Kouyaté’s departure follows a different path. On October 6, the former midfielder announced his international retirement. Aged 36, he represented Senegal for more than a decade and took part in the campaigns that led to the 2022 continental title.

His announcement came as he also decided to end his professional career, notably because of a heart condition that had been made public.

These two departures concern players who experienced the great moments of the Senegalese national team, even though their paths differ: Mendy was still present at the 2026 World Cup, while Kouyaté had already left the squad several years earlier.

La légende Cheikhou Kouyaté annonce sa retraite après une carrière marquée par l’engagement, le leadership et un amour indéfectible pour le maillot national.

Merci pour toutes ces années de dévouement et les émotions partagées. Ton nom restera à jamais gravé dans l’histoire du… pic.twitter.com/xhmdsrTZ92
— Equipe du Sénégal (@GaindeYi) October 9, 2026

Mané, Koulibaly and Gana Gueye, the last pillars

The renewal of the national team does not mean that all the senior players have left the Lions. Several key members of the African champions’ generation remain available.

Sadio Mané remains one of Senegal’s most important attacking figures. Decisive in the first title win, he also played a central role in the national team’s run at the 2025 AFCON, held in Morocco between December 2025 and January 2026.

Kalidou Koulibaly, the team’s captain, remains a defensive reference point. His international experience and leadership have accompanied the two continental campaigns.

Idrissa Gana Gueye, another midfield pillar, is also among the players ensuring continuity. His presence helps maintain a link between the team that won the AFCON in 2022 and the one that competed in the major tournaments that followed.

These three players have not announced their international retirements. Their future with the national team will depend on their personal choices, their fitness and the technical staff’s decisions.

A new generation already in place

Senegal already has players capable of taking on greater responsibility. Pape Gueye, who scored the goal in extra time during the 2025 AFCON final against Morocco, is among the important members of the midfield. Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr, Habib Diarra and Iliman Ndiaye also represent a generation expected to have a lasting influence on Senegalese football.

Their presence shows that the renewal did not begin with Mendy and Kouyaté’s retirement announcements. It is already under way in the composition of the squad and in the distribution of responsibilities on the pitch.

Head coach Patrick Vieira’s challenge will be to continue this transition without losing the experience accumulated by the older players. The next international windows will provide an opportunity to observe the role given to the younger players and the responsibilities retained by the senior players still active.

Senegal must nevertheless deal with a particular situation surrounding its latest continental title: after winning the 2025 AFCON final against Morocco, the national team was stripped of its title by a decision of the CAF Appeals Committee. The Senegalese Football Federation challenged this decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The outcome of this procedure therefore remains decisive for this generation’s official record.

With departures already announced and players who continue to represent the Lions, Senegal is entering a transitional phase. The generation that won the 2021 AFCON has left a deep mark on the history of the national team. The question now is how long its last representatives will continue to guide the next generation.