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Senegal will be making their second World Cup finals appearance this summer after a hiatus of 16 years. In the 2002 FIFA World Cup when Senegal made their maiden appearance, they stunned the whole world with their performance as they went on to beat reigning champions France in the opening match and reached the Quarterfinals where they lost to Turkey.
This time a similar kind of performance is being expected by the African nation as in the qualification process they remained unbeaten, winning 5 matches and drawing 3.
Senegal begin their World Cup campaign against Poland who are making their 8th World Cup finals appearance. Apart from Poland and Senegal, Group H includes Colombia and Japan making it one of the most closely contested groups.
Poland boast a strong blend of midfield and attack with their talisman Robert Lewandowski leading the attacking front. The Bayern Munich star has been clinical with his national side as he has scored 55 goals in 95 international appearances.
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We now take a look at 5 players that will play a pivotal role in Tuesday's Group H encounter between Poland and Senegal at the Spartak stadium in Moscow:
#5 Arkadiusz Milik (Poland)
The 24-year-old Polish striker partners with Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski in the attack and this duo is known to test the opposition defenders. Playing for Napoli, Milik has scored 14 goals in 40 appearances over a span of two seasons. His spell at Eredivisie side Ajax in the 2015-16 season saw him become a prolific striker as he found the net 24 times in 42 appearances.
Being 1.86 meters tall he is an aerial threat in the opposition box and with a great shooting and finishing ability, he shows potential to be considered as one of Europe's best strikers. He showcases his technical qualities on the field and is not only a goalscorer but can also provide vital assists for his teammates.
Playing for the Polish national side, Milik has scored 12 goals in 40 appearances and was a part of the team at the 2016 UEFA Euro where he scored in their opening game against Northern Ireland.
He will now look to shine for his side at the 2018 World Cup and ensure they have a successful campaign in Russia.
#4 Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal)
The Napoli centre-back was born and raised in France by Senegalese parents and was therefore eligible to play for both the Senegalese national team and the French national team. After playing for France at the U-20 level in 2011, Koulibaly joined the Senegalese senior side in 2015.
He joined Italian side Napoli on 2nd July 2014 and has made 164 appearances in 4 seasons. For the national side, he has made 22 appearances and was a part of the Senegal squad at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Standing 1.95 meters tall, Koulibaly is known for having aerial prowess. He is not only physically strong but also a very versatile player as he can play at any defensive position in a 3 or 4 man defensive lineup. His ability to play as a centre-back or a fullback has made his fans give him the nickname 'The wall'.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup Koulibaly will play a vital role for his side in the defence and will look to give the opposition attackers a tough time finding the net.
#3 Jakub Blaszczykowski (Poland)
The 32-year-old midfielder is the 3rd most capped player for Poland with 99 appearances, just 3 shy of a record 102 caps, which he will be looking to surpass at this summer's mega event. He made his debut for the national side way back in 2006 and has been an important part of the Polish team ever since.
Currently playing for German side VFL Wolfsburg, he was a part of Borussia Dortmund from 2007 to 2016 winning 2 Bundesliga titles, 1 DFB Pokal, 2 DFL Supercups and reached the 2012-13 Champions League final. Playing in the national colours, he has found the net 20 times and is the backbone of Polish midfield.
The midfielder is known for strong tackling and is effective in holding the ball in the midfield area. He plays a vital role in initiating attacks through his passes and is also reliable in the defence when required.
He will be entering the 2018 FIFA World Cup as the most experienced Polish player and will look to use this experience to take his side on a successful World Cup campaign.
#2 Sadio Mané (Senegal)
The 26-year-old Liverpool winger has been sensational for the Merseyside club ever since signing for them in June 2016. Mané has scored 33 goals in 73 appearances for Liverpool and has been an important member of the squad under manager Jurgen Klopp.
Playing for Liverpool Mané reached the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League final in which he started and scored his side's only goal as they went on to lose the match 3-1 against Real Madrid. In the 2017-18 season, he formed the attacking trio at Liverpool with Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah which proved to be very successful as they scored 91 goals with Mané contributing 20 goals.
He made his international debut in 2012 and has scored 14 goals in 49 appearances. He has been a vital part of the national squad as he appeared for them in the 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
At the World Cup this summer he will look forward to stepping up for his national side after having a successful season with his club Liverpool and will try to make this World Cup campaign a memorable one for his side.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
Lewandowski has been one of Europe's best striker for the past couple of seasons, playing for Bayern Munich the Polish found the net a whopping 151 times in 195 appearances and has been the Bavarian club's top scorer for the past 4 seasons. He claimed the 4th place at the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or awards and has been named Polish Player of the year for a record 7 times.
He has made 95 appearances for the Polish national team and is the all-time top goalscorer for his side with 55 goals. He made his international debut on 10th September 2008 and has been a vital member of the Polish squad at the 2012 and 2016 UEFA Euro campaigns.
Lewandowski is one of the very few complete players who can score with both feet and have the aerial ability to score headers. His abilities are not only limited to that of a goal-poacher as his excellent vision and physique help him in holding the ball and wait for his teammates to arrive.
Being such a creative striker, Lewandowski is expected to light up the World Cup this summer with his theatrics and is a serious contender to take home the Golden Boot along with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
