Fellow defender Lamine Diatta is another who is culturally at least as French as he is African.
Diatta has been in France since the age of one, and has no memories of his first few months under the tropical sun.
"Yeah, I was definitely more French than Senegalese," said Diatta.
"But now I play for Senegal I am 100% Senegalese!"
The Senegalese international with the closest ties to France is undoubtedly Sylvain Ndiaye, however.
The Lille midfielder only qualifies for the Lions because of a Senegalese grandfather. He had never even visited the land he now represents before he pulled on the shirt with the Lion's head motif.
According to El Hadj Diouf, the Senegalese squad is "a band of brothers."
With many more brothers in the France team - not least the Senegal-born Patrick Vieira - the World Cup's opening game is going to be a family affair.