As it turns out, gaining attention for himself and his teammates was the least of it. ”To beat France is to have already won the World Cup,” Abdoulaye Wade, the jubilant Senegalese president, exclaimed amid the huge celebrations set off by his country’s defeat of its former colonial ruler. But judging from their next performances - two ties to move into the second round and a 2-1 victory in overtime against Sweden on Sunday - Senegal’s players have already set their sights much higher.

So far, though, Senegal’s Lions of Teranga, as the team is called, have shown surprising flashes of collective strength, especially on defense, while stinging one opponent after another with fluid individual improvisation on the attack. If any player embodies the technical skills and excitement of the Senegalese team, it is Diouf, a 21-year-old with dyed blond hair who was named African Player of the Year in 2001.

He has been fouled 20 times in the World Cup, more than any other player. Diouf’s preferred nickname is the Serial Killer, both for his goal scoring and his spellbinding dribbling that draws so many fouls.

June 21, 2002. By Howard French(Tokyo)

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