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Former footballer El Hadji Diouf has advised Senegal players not to fear England ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup last-16 encounter on 4 December.
The Lions of Teranga will meet the Three Lions in the first knockout round of the competition after finishing second in their group behind the Netherlands. On paper, the tie is expected to tilt in favor of England given the immense quality they possess in their team.
This is the first time the two teams will face each other at the international level. Diouf, who scored 24 times for Senegal in 70 appearances between 2000 and 2008, has asked his countrymen to draw inspiration from the 2002 World Cup.
Senegal advanced to the last 16 in South Korea but were pitted against defending world champions France. In a game billed much like their upcoming encounter against England, Senegal came up trumps.
A first-half goal from Papa Bouba Diop was enough to see them through to the quarter-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Turkey in extra time. Addressing the mouth-watering clash against the 1966 World Cup winners, Diouf said (h/t Metro):
"The game reminds me of France v Senegal in 2002. Our mission is to take these players to another level, we’ve been working hard. We are brothers and want to write our own story."
Manager Aliou Cisse would relate to the former Liverpool striker's words, given he was playing alongside him in the team that secured the historic result against Les Bleus.
That was the last time Senegal made it to the quarter-finals of the competition. The winner of this game will face either France or Poland in the quarter-finals.
Diouf says Senegal should fear no England players in the FIFA World Cup last 16 clash
Diouf was asked if there were any England players that Senegal had to fear in the knockout encounter. He said via the aforementioned source:
"Definitely no one. We have good players, they have good players and on the pitch it is 11 v 11 and you are fighting for your country."
Diouf, who is part of Cisse's backroom staff at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, would have relayed a similarly bullish message in the dressing room. But despite his confidence, they do have players capable of changing the game in their team's favor in the blink of an eye.
Striker Harry Kane, winger Raheem Sterling, and midfielder Jude Bellingham are just three of the many Three Lions stars Senegal will have to watch out for.
