UNITED STATES -- When Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Édouard Mendy look back on their international careers, they will savour a decade with Senegal national side in which they've achieved more than any player from their country has ever done.
However, they're also in grave danger of being part of one of the biggest disappointments - and arguably, under achievers - that Senegalese football has ever known.
Before this quartet embarked on their international careers, the great Senegal team of 2002 was the pinnacle of the nation's footballing achievement. They had, after all, qualified for a maiden World Cup, pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all time against defending champs France, reached the quarterfinals (only the second African side to do so), and were finalists at the Africa Cup of Nations. For over a decade and a half, that was the high watermark for Senegalese football.
That all changed with Mane and co. At club level, they have broken new ground as pioneers in Europe and beyond: Mendy the first African keeper to win the UEFA Champions League, Gana Gueye a losing UCL finalist, while Koulibaly was a superstar at Napoli, the greatest African defender to play in Serie A. And then there's Mane: three-time UCL finalist (one-time winner), Premier League winner, two-time African footballer of the year (only the second Senegalese to win the award after El Hadji Diouf).
It's what the foursome did internationally, though, has already underlined their legacies - qualifying for three straight World Cups for the first time, winning Senegal's first Africa Cup of Nations (2021) and doing it again (albeit in controversial circumstances) earlier this year. Regardless of how CAF have ruled it, back home, the verdict is clear - Senegal won, Senegal are Africa's champions. With that win came a stirring of pan-African sentiment, becoming a team that held the baton for sub-Saharan Africa against the North.
This Senegal team had become something more than just a successful football team, emblematic of a deeper defiance, as well as a peaceful, dignified kind of glory.
The World Cup appeared - ostensibly - to be a fine opportunity for this generation to sign off on a note that matched or even surpassed the 2022 collective.
After all, they had defensive rigour, they had a combative, mobile midfield, plenty of options in attack, undisputed unity under the guiding hand of Pape Thiaw... everything seemed set for Senegal to enjoy a deep run in the competition.
And yet here they are, on the brink of elimination. The fact is that they haven't been shambolic in their two losses (1-3 to France, 3-2 to Norway), but defensive failings have led to poor concession of goals... and have put them in a place where they need to beat Iraq in their final group game on Friday, and then wait to see if that will be enough to progress as one of the best third-placed teams.
It's an unenviable position, not least considering Senegal's current goal difference (-3) leaves them at a disadvantage against other teams on three points, forget those who are on four.
Many things haven't gone their way, from the draw (Norway's lower ranking hid how tough they were, especially with Erling Haaland on their side, while France were always favourites) to the 'Koulibaly problem. The great defender has had a wretched tournament, looking sluggish and out-of-sorts against France, before being at fault for each of Norway's three goals.
He held his hands up and took the blame after the match but isn't this a scenario Thiaw should have anticipated given the player's age (35) and the fact he hadn't played competitively since April 8 after suffering a freak thigh injury in training with Al Hilal?
"The coach will decide if I'm playing [against Iraq] or not, but the most important thing is that we try to qualify," Koulibaly told ESPN. "The face we've shown in these two matches has sometimes been good, but at other times, very poor.
"We have to correct that very quickly in order to put in a good performance against Iraq." Thiaw must also take some of the blame for a reticence to give more playing time to some of the more youthful, exciting members of his squad, with local media here in North America frequently lamenting the head coach's limited use of the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Ibrahim Mbaye and other attacking options.
Mbaye made the most of his 15 minutes against France to score a fine solo effort but was only introduced midway through the second half against Norway with Senegal 2-1 down. Ndiaye, surely the most creative player in the squad, didn't get a minute at all against Norway; despite registering an assist in the meagre seven minutes he was given against France.
Maybe respect for the veterans in the team and a desire not to ruffle any feathers has led to Thiaw keeping faith with Koulibaly, Gana Gueye and Mane, despite their toils in the New Jersey sun, and it's a loyalty he may ultimately come to regret.
Ironically, while Mendy has impressed between the sticks - making critical saves against both France and Norway - he will be missing against Iraq (at least) after suffering medial ligament damage on Monday.
Finally, while head coach and players have denied that the off-field issues the team have encountered - amidst rumours of unpaid bonuses, the late, late renewal of the coach's contract, and catering problems at their accommodation - have interfered with their tournament preparations, it's hardly the kind of serene environment that will be conducive to the players giving their best at the tournament of their lives.
"I don't want to talk about that," Koulibaly added, when asked about the reported problems in camp. "We should only talk about football.
"I think we're looking for excuses and that's something outside of football. We need to focus on the pitch and what happens there."
All these factors together have combined to put Senegal in their present peril. It's not over, not by any stretch: they have the quality, the firepower to defeat Iraq by a large margin and give themselves a chance to progress.
However, if this is the end, this Senegal generation deserve to be remembered for the heady glories of the previous years, and not this muddled and troubled fare they've served at the World Cup.
