El-Hadji Diouf has told England they will face a France-style upset if they underestimate Senegal in Sunday’s World Cup last-16 clash - and says there will only be one winner if the game goes to penalties.
Senegal legend Diouf was part of the side that famously upset the then world champions France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup and is now on the country’s coaching staff at this tournament.
Gareth Southgate’s side will be favourites to reach the quarter-finals when they take on the African champions in Doha this weekend, but Diouf says France’s failure two decades ago should serve as a warning.
“It reminds me of when we played against France,” said Diouf. “They thought they’d won the game before they played it. If England do the same thing on Sunday, this is good for us.
“This game is not about the best team winning it, it is the best boys, the ones with strong mentality and team spirit, they are going to win it. It’s not a game that will be won by tiki-taka.”
England appeared to have broken their penalty curse when beating Colombia at this stage of the last World Cup but then lost the final of Euro 2020 to Italy in a shootout last summer.
Senegal, meanwhile, have won two crucial shootouts already this year, in the Africa Cup of Nations final and then a World Cup qualifying play-off against Egypt, leaving Diouf in little doubt as to which side penalties would favour.
“We are always going to win on penalties,” he added. “If we get to penalties, we’re going to win it. Easy. I know the goalkeeper we’ve got [Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy] and I know we can stop some of their penalties.”
Diouf spent much of his playing career in England, including spells at Liverpool, Blackburn and Bolton, and revealed he has been speaking to former England manager Sam Allardyce in the run-up to Sunday’s game.
“Last night, I was talking to him,” Diouf said. “Everyone knows Sam is a part of my family, and Neil Warnock, the two great managers I know in England. I love them and I would love to invite them to watch this game as well. Sam can’t come, because he has to go to Phuket with his wife, but Neil is going to try.”
