The first few questions at Senegal's opening pre-game press conference were all about one man, and he's not even here.
Not in person anyway.
Aliou Cisse would have known that the build-up to his side's game against the Netherlands was going to be overshadowed by Sadio Mane of course, and if he didn't then one look at the giant figure of Mane which overlooks the World Cup's main fan park would have told him that.
It remains a huge shame that Mane isn't in Qatar following a year which saw him inspire his country to win the Africa Cup of Nations and qualify for the World Cup, as well as walk away from Liverpool with his head held high and a couple more winners' medals, and almost a quadruple.
But in Mane's absence Cisse has developed a side that are adaptable and smart, largely due to the way that he and they approach matches.
The former midfielder spent four years in the Premier League with Birmingham and Portsmouth, and he'll now be plotting to knock England out of the World Cup when they meet in the last-16 on Sunday.
Cisse has fielded three varying formations across his side's three matches, each one reacting to the specific threats of the opposition or designed to help his side get on the front foot.
Senegal blunted the Netherlands for 84 minutes of their opener at the Al Thumama Stadium as Cisse picked a midfield familiar to Premier League fans, with Leicester's Nampalys Mendy, Everton's Idrissa Gueye and Nottingham Forest's Cheikhou Kouyate, formerly of West Ham and Crystal Palace, all packed in there.
The result saw the Dutch struggle to break down their opponents, and they registered just nine shots in the match compared to Senegal's 14, with the pair each getting three on target.
It was only due to a couple of late errors from Edouard Mendy that Senegal lost the game 2-0, but even those mistakes can now be looked upon differently following qualification for the last-16.
When Cisse and captain Kalidou Koulibaly faced a feisty press prior to their next game against Qatar, the form of Mendy, dropped by Chelsea boss Graham Potter this season, was a hot topic.
"We speak a lot," said Koulibaly, his Stamford Bridge teammate. "We play at the same club, we are brothers in arms. He’s an important player for us, and it's normal to go through difficult phases.
"While we need everyone to give their all, I’m not worried. I know Edou will be on top of his game."
Cisse backed up that claim by adding that he had full trust in Mendy's "steel resolve" coming through for the team despite the media's question of his position, and sure enough the goalkeeper then impressed in the 3-1 win over Qatar, pulling off a couple of excellent saves with the score at 2-0.
Senegal had lined up in a fairly conventional 4-4-2 formation for that one, with forwards Boulaye Dia and Famara Diedhiou partnered in attack and both rewarding Cisse for their faith by scoring either side of half-time.
Having started with Krepin Diatta on the right and Watford's Ismaila Sarr on the left of the attack against the Dutch, Cisse dropped Diatta and moved Sarr to a more natural position on the right against Qatar, and although the level of opposition has to be taken into account it was certainly a wise move.
There was a sense that Cisse was trying to recreate the impact of Mane from the left by putting Sarr, his next most gifted attacker, out there, and while that could still bear fruit in future it was the combination of the impressive left-back Ismail Jakobs and Diatta which caused the hosts issues.
That allowed Sarr to play a more natural way from the right, and he really stretched the game.
Then for the win or bust clash against Ecuador, Sarr was back on the left of a front three as Cisse dropped Diatta and Diedhiou and picked Iliman Ndiaye, the 22-year-old Sheffield United attacker who was playing Sunday League football in west London four years ago.
The setup was similar to the Dutch game but with tweaks in the midfield and attack in order to go for the win that was needed, and with Cisse's calm message ringing in their ears the Senegal players delivered it.
"Football isn’t war, no-one needs to die in battle. I hope not anyway!" said the manager the day before the game.
"It is a decisive game for this generation but we’re okay, we're dealing with the pressure and stress, it is a good stress.
"Why don't we change the world stress for motivation?"
With a chance to emulate Senegal's best ever World Cup performance - that of the 2002 team which reached the quarter-finals, which Cisse captained - the motivation to beat England is clear.
