Senegal's midfielder #05 Idrissa Gana Gueye in action against France. | Photo Credit: AFP

Idrissa Gana Gueye and Papa Gueye were named in the starting lineup for Senegal in its FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against France in New Jersey on Tuesday.

Though the two players share the same surname, they are not related. Gueye is a very common surname in Senegal. Idrissa plays for Everton in the Premier League while Pape is employed by La Liga side Vilarreal.

Similarly, Senegal has three players with the surname Sarr — Ismaila, Mamadou and Pape — who are not related.

The Lions of Terangana are a strong contender from Group I to make a deep run in the tournament.

Senegal is no stranger to making noise at the World Cup. It has reached the knockout stage twice, first in 2002, and again in 2022, when it progressed to the round of 16.

This time it comes to the World Cup buoyed by its runner-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations. It had even won the final 1-0 against Morocco but the title was snatched from it by the Confederation of African Football later.

Published on Jun 17, 2026