Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye has declared that the Teranga Lions are heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup with one clear ambition, to become world champions and bring the trophy to Africa for the first time.
The 26-year-old attacker expressed confidence in Senegal’s ability to compete with the best teams in the world, insisting that the African giants are no longer intimidated by football’s traditional powerhouses.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Ndiaye said Senegal’s objective is straightforward.
“Senegal is eagerly awaiting the World Cup because we have a clear objective: to become world champions,” he stated.
His comments reflect the growing belief within the Senegal camp that they have the quality and experience to challenge for football’s biggest prize.
Over the past decade, Senegal has established itself as one of Africa’s strongest national teams, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 and consistently performing well on the international stage.
Ndiaye pointed to Senegal’s performances against top-ranked nations as evidence that the team can compete with anyone.
“We felt it when we faced big nations like England. We look anyone straight in the eye,” he said.
Senegal’s confidence has been built on a talented generation of players featuring stars such as Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Édouard Mendy and Ndiaye himself.
The team has earned respect across world football for its physical strength, technical quality and fighting spirit.
Africa has never produced a World Cup winner, with Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals in Qatar 2022 standing as the continent’s best-ever performance at the tournament.
Senegal reached the quarter-finals in 2002, while Ghana came agonisingly close to the last four in 2010.
Ndiaye believes the time has come for an African nation to take the next step and lift the trophy. They start their group stage matches against Iraq, France and Norway.
“We really want to bring the World Cup back to Africa,” he added.
