Senegal: who to replace Édouard Mendy?
He may not have marked it in his calendar, but succeeding Édouard Mendy will be one of the first challenges for Patrick Vieira with Senegal. With the Al-Ahli goalkeeper having announced his international retirement on Sunday at 34, the Lions must find a trustworthy last line of defense.
Aimé ATTI · Author profile ·
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Mory Diaw - 33 years old (Al-Shabab)
Goalkeeper No. 2 in the hierarchy under Pape Thiaw, Mory Diaw now appears as the solution, at least in the short term, to guard Senegal's goal. Even though his age already forces him to think about international retirement, Mory Diaw, who remained in the shadow of Mendy for a long time, finally has the opportunity to become No. 1.
Behind the former Chelsea goalkeeper, Diaw gained experience in major competitions, as during the 2026 World Cup where he had to replace Édouard Mendy, who went off injured against Norway (2-3), from the second game up until the elimination in the round of 16 against Belgium (2-3).
In the squad since 2023, Mory Diaw, who has had 8 caps so far, ticks all the boxes to take over from Mendy - if only for this first international break of the season - unless Patrick Vieira decides to make a bold move from the start by betting on youth.
Yehvann Diouf - 26 years old (Nice)
Ever since he decided to play for Senegal in 2024, it was obvious to everyone that Yehvann Diouf is the future of the Lions in goal. But the OGC Nice goalkeeper had to bide his time, confined to third place without being overlooked, as seen during the CAN 2025 final where he played a crucial role protecting Edouard Mendy's towels.
Yehvann Diouf will have learned a lot from Mendy and Diaw, who are both his seniors in the national team, but he is already grown and mature enough to take the No. 1 spot. His qualities are unquestionable, and his ability to be decisive between the posts wins everyone over. If Patrick Vieira maintains the order established by his predecessor Pape Thiaw, Mory Diaw will take over from Mendy. But he could also give Diouf, who has two caps with the Lions, a shot to mark the beginning of a transition. An undisputed starter at Nice, he has 1 clean sheet in 4 matches this season (5 goals conceded).
Pape Sy – 29 years old (Metz)
He is also a familiar face in Senegal, but mainly for his role in the reserve squad for the senior team. Pape Sy proved himself with the local team, with whom he won the 2023 CHAN, and can therefore also claim a spot in the senior side at last. Even if, at 29, his chances of becoming the future No. 1 are slim, especially since his situation at club level is not ideal.
Pape Sy is, in fact, a substitute in Ligue 2 with FC Metz, where he has played only one match (out of five possible) since the beginning of the new season. Nevertheless, he remains an option for the new coach, who has to dig deep to form a new goalkeeper trio for the Lions.
Demba Thiam – 28 years old (Monza)
Born in Dakar, Demba Thiam has been making a name for himself for several years in Serie B (the Italian second division) without ever quite catching the spotlight. Naturally, he has never been called up by Senegal, but at 28, Serie A offers him great exposure this season wearing the colors of AC Monza, whom he helped to gain promotion to the top flight by playing all 38 games in the 2025/26 Serie B season (16 clean sheets).
Standing at an imposing 2.00m, Demba Thiam is having a convincing start to the season in Italy, with 2 clean sheets in 5 games in all competitions. He is Monza's first-choice goalkeeper and radiates confidence on his line with a leadership ability that helps guide his defense.
Assane Sarr, Mamour Ndiaye... bets for the future
At 16 years old, Assane Sarr already seems so advanced that Senegalese supporters are pushing for him to gradually join the senior squad. One of the key figures in Senegal's victory at the last U17 AFCON, the Ngadane FC goalkeeper is considered destined to guard Senegal's nets one day, but it's still too soon to see him with the senior team.
Mamour Ndiaye is also in the same category even if, at 20, he is more prepared to join the senior national team. Having arrived at Saint-Etienne this summer, the 2023 U20 African champion still has to wait for his chance and continue progressing. One thing is for sure: if both keep working hard, there is no reason why they won't make it to the senior team in the coming years.
It may also be the ideal time to entice Ismail Ka, a young U19 international with the Netherlands but of Senegalese origin. At 20 years old, he plays in the Dutch second division with AZ Alkmaar.