#11. The Gambia 🇬🇲
Population: 2,468,569
Nickname: The Scorpions
Appearances: 2nd
Last Appearance: 2021
Coach: Tom Saintfiet (Belgium)
Best AFCON results: Quarter-finals (2021)
Skipper: Omar Colley
Player to watch: Yankuba Minteh
Region: WAFU
CAF Rankings: 35
FIFA Rankings: 126
Most caps: Omar Colley (49)
Top scorer: Assan Ceesay (13)
Tom Saintfiet shocked the continent in the 2021 AFCON as his Scorpions finished second in Group F with 7 points after drawing against Mali and winning two games against Mauritania and Tunisia.
Musa Barrow’s 71st-minute strike eliminated Guinea in Round 16 and the Gambia lost 2-0 in the Quarter-finals against the host, Cameroon. The Gambia enjoyed a debut AFCON in Cameroon and will hope to continue in Ivory Coast in January and February of 2024.
The Gambia finished 5 points behind Mali in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers as they secured 10 points from the possible 18 including an impressive 1-0 win over Mali in Casablanca, Morrocco at the Stade Mohammed V Stadium.
The Scorpions commenced the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on a bad note with two defeats against Burundi (3-2) and Ivory Coast (2-0). The Gambia against neighbours Senegal, Cameroon and Guinea have a huge task to qualify for the knockout phase of the competition.
Newcastle United’s young forward, Yankuba Minteh, who is on loan at Feyenoord Rotterdam is expected to make a huge impact for The Gambia to complement Omar Colley, Assan Ceesay and Musa Barrow’s effort.
The Core of the team
Modou Jobe will be The Gambia’s number-one goalkeeper in Ivory Coast. Omar Colley will lead Gambia from the back with Ablie Jallow leading the midfield.
Fadera, Minteh and Barrow will lead The Gambia’s attack.
Probable 11
4-3-3
Jobe
Janko, Sanneh, Colley, Mendy
Sundberg, Jallow, Adams
Minteh, Barrow, Fadera
Notable legends
Omar Colley, Assan Ceesay, Musa Barrow, Momodou Ceesay, Modou Barrow, Jobe
Expectations: Group Stage exit
Fixtures
•Senegal v Gambia
•Guinea v Gambia
•Gambia v Cameroon
