It's time for Patrick Vieira to step up and show what he's made of.After spending much of his playing career at some of the greatest clubs in the world (AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter Milan, Manchester City) and cutting his teeth as a coach in the USA (New York City), France (Nice, Strasbourg), England (Crystal Palace), and Italy (Genoa), the Frenchman takes on his first international challenge, and not with just any national team.Super Eagles ready to fly high: Osimhen, Lookman & Iwobi headline Nigeria squadAlthough he is a Les Bleus legend, Vieira was born in Senegal and lived there until he was eight, so taking charge of the Lions of Teranga's bench must mean more to him than just another job.Precisely a month ago, the 50-year-old was appointed Senegal manager, and his debut game awaits him in a week, when the Lions of Teranga host Mozambique in the opener of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.Motsepe rules out Plan B as East Africa races to ready for AFCON 2027Four days later, Vieira and his men will travel to Ethiopia to face the Walia Ibex in their second qualifying game, while a friendly against the Comoros on October 4 will bring the Frenchman's first set of games with Senegal to a close.With three matches on the schedule, it comes as no surprise that Vieira named a 29-man squad, including seven potential debutants.The most notable absence is Sadio Mane, one of the greatest players in the history of Senegalese football, who retired from the national team in July following Senegal's World Cup exit, while goalkeeper Edouard Mendy did the same a few days ago.Senegal coach Patrick Vieira has called up the players he will use for the two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Mozambique and Ethiopia, as well as the match against Comoros. pic.twitter.com/Cdge6DKRk7— ka sudaise (@KaSudaise35279) September 18, 2026 ##Still, the Lions of Teranga's squad is star-studded, with Kalidou Koulibaly, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mamadou Sarr, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Ibrahim Mbaye, Iliman Ndiaye, and Nicolas Jackson among the most prominent names.Nevertheless, given Mane's importance to the team and the fact that he had been there for the previous 12 years, Senegal will undoubtedly need some time to adjust to life without him and figure out how to move on.##NAJAVA_MECA_9972279##SENEGAL SQUAD:Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Al-Shabab), Yehvann Diouf (Nice), Ngagne Demba Thiam (Monza), Mamour Ndiaye (Saint-Etienne)Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal), Nobel Mendy (Hull City), Malang Sarr (Neom), El Hadji Malick Diouf (Brentford), Moussa Niakhate (Olympique Lyon), Mamadou Sarr (Real Sociedad), Sadibou Sane (Monaco), Arouna Sangante (Sevilla), Lamine Sy (Auxerre)Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Al-Diriyah), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Rassoul Ndiaye (Le Havre), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich), Pape Matar Sarr (Juventus)Forwards: Ibrahim Mbaye (Aston Villa), Iliman Ndiaye (Manchester City), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Abdallah Sima (Lens), Assane Diao (Como), Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa), Boulaye Dia (Rennes), Issa Soumare (Rennes), Mamadou Diakhon (Club Brugge), Pape Moussa Fall (Metz)
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