Moussa Niakhaté

A commanding 1.90 m centre-back, Moussa Niakhaté built his reputation in Germany, where he made 128 league appearances for Mainz 05 and briefly became the youngest captain in the Bundesliga. A 2022 move to Nottingham Forest brought a Premier League adventure marred by a serious hamstring injury, before he joined Lyon in 2024 as one of the club's most expensive signings. Born in Roubaix to a Senegalese family, he committed to the Lions and has grown into a key figure, named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2025 AFCON, where Senegal reached the final. Now with 32 caps, the left-footed defender brings aerial dominance and composure on the ball. He started against France on 16 June 2026 alongside Koulibaly. Ahead of Senegal's group meeting with Norway he spoke about containing Erling Haaland, stressing collective defending and denying the striker space rather than dwelling on his individual threat.