Senegalese teenager becomes youngest player to represent senior national team

Amara Diouf, Generation Foot’s 15-year-old winger, has become the youngest player to represent the Senegalese national team after making his debut against Rwanda.

Diouf, who replaced Tidiane Sabaly after 71 minutes of Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, wrote his name in the Teranga Lions’ history books after becoming the country’s senior team’s youngest player.

At 15 years and 94 days, Diouf eclipsed the record set by Mohammed Sarr in 2001, when he played for Senegal at the age of 17 years and 57 days.

Diouf’s achievement was celebrated by the Senegalese national football team on social media platform X as they noted his new milestone.

Despite his young age, Diouf has become a regular for his club side, Generation Foot, in Senegal, playing every minute of the club’s CAF Champions League qualifying playoff double-header against Guinea’s Hafia FC.

Generation Foot were knocked out by Hafia on away goals over two legs after a 2-2 draw in Thies and a 0-0 draw in Conakry, but Diouf’s performance clearly stood out as he earned himself a call-up to the national team and a first cap for the Senegalese national team.

Senegal has followed the example of Spain, which also fielded 16-year-old Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal in their 2024 Euros qualifier against Georgia by playing 15-year-old Diouf against Rwanda.