When Senegal shocked world champions France with a 1-0 win in the opening game of World Cup 2002 in Japan/Korea a striker by the name of El-Hadji Diouf captured the attention with a man-of-the-match display. He had been playing for Lens but it emerged after the match that Diouf had already signed for Liverpool FC with Gerard Houllier having acted swiftly to secure his signature!

Eh-Hadji Diouf

Diouf made five appearances as Senegal reached the quarter-finals – his team-mate Salif Diao also signed for LFC later that summer – and although his Anfield days didn't work out as well as Houllier had hoped he did inspire a young Sadio Mane to become a footballer.

Kolo Toure

“I was young but I never missed a Senegal game in that World Cup. I will never forget that World Cup because it was where everything started for me. It inspired me to love football more and to become a football player.

“El-Hadji Diouf was my hero. He was doing great for the national team and everybody loved him in Senegal, so I did too. That World Cup was very important for me.”

Since then only one African LFC player has appeared in a World Cup – Kolo, Kolo Kolo, Kolo Kolo, Kolo Kolo Toure! He played once, alongside brother Yaya, for Ivory Coast at World Cup 2014 in Brazil only for a 93rd minute penalty for Greece to knock The Elephants out right at the end of their final group game!

It means that for the first time in Russia 2018 LFC should have two African players at a World Cup and it's fair to say Mane is looking forward to it! “I can't wait,” he said. “I'm excited! It's my first time for the World Cup and I think we are just going to go there and try to do our best to win the games.”

Sadio Mane in action for Senegal