Former Premier League midfielder Salif Diao cannot wait for the atmosphere when his beloved Senegal face Brazil at Emirates Stadium this weekend.
Diao was capped 39 times for the Lions of Teranga during his playing days, helping them famously reach the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup.
Now retired, Diao is excited to see his nation take on Brazil in N5 as they start preparations for next summer’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
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Ticket info: Brazil v Senegal at Emirates Stadium
He said: “It’s a big game with big players from two big football nations, where there is a big passion for the game, and it’s a match being played in England, the home of football.
“So, it has every ingredient to be a fantastic match played in a brilliant atmosphere.”
Diao played for Liverpool, Portsmouth, Birmingham City, and Stoke City during his time in the Premier League, facing us on nine occasions.
There are a host of current Senegalese players in the Premier League, which pleases Diao, having been one of the first from the country to play in the English top flight.
He said: “The Premier League is the best league in the world and it’s where the very best players in the world need to go to test themselves. The fact there are so many Senegalese players in the Premier League is great to see.
“To know the story of one of those – El Hadji Malick Diouf – particularly well, is amazing. He was in my academy three years ago and is now playing for West Ham, and is now playing in the Premier League, it’s amazing.”
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Diao formed part of the first Senegal side to qualify for a World Cup, when they reached the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea.
His nation stunned the world by beating defending champions France in the opening game of the tournament in Seoul, a result Diao believes broke down barriers and has helped future Senegal sides.
He said: “It was a victory that had significance beyond football. We were playing France, the country that colonised Senegal. It stirred a lot of emotion.
“It wasn’t only a victory for Senegal, it was a victory for Africa. It was a victory for every country that had been colonised by France. It changed the way of thinking. It took the superiority that had existed away. It broke down barriers.”
Tickets are still available for this weekend’s clash between Senegal and Brazil, secure your seat at our stadium!
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