Golden Generation (Senya)

Senyan players celebrate after winning the 2023 FMF World Cup.

The Golden Generation is the nickname given to a select group of Senyan association footballers whose international careers with the Senya national football team between 2016 and 2023 helped the team to achieve its most successful period. During this time, Senya won two FMF World Cups and a record three Copa Apollonia titles, as well as reaching a further tournament final and a semi-final. Four of the five trophies have been won under the management of David Morter, who also served as assistant manager under previous manager Draco Sanchez. Under Sanchez, Senya won the 2016 Copa Apollonia and were runners-up at the 2017 FMF World Cup, before Morter took over as manager after Sanchez resigned during the 2018 Copa Apollonia. Morter is widely credited with creating a positive team spirit and for making the most out of a very talented pool of players.

Achievements

This section lists the national team's competitive record in finals tournaments between 2016 and 2023, when they finished in third place or better in all but one FMF-affiliated competitions. Additionally, Senya finished as runners-up in three consecutive editions of the FMF Confederations Cup between 2018 and 2022.

Tournament	Round	Position	Pl	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2016 Copa Apollonia	Champions	1st of 8	5	4	0	1	10	4
2017 World Cup	Runners-up	2nd of 20	7	4	1	2	18	11
2018 Copa Apollonia	Champions	1st of 8	5	3	1	1	5	2
2019 World Cup	Champions	1st of 20	7	6	1	0	17	2
2020 Copa Apollonia	Quarter-finalists	5th of 12	3	2	1	0	6	1
2021 World Cup	Third place	3rd of 20	7	6	0	1	16	7
2022 Copa Apollonia	Champions	1st of 8	5	4	1	0	8	3
2023 World Cup	Champions	1st of 20	7	6	1	0	18	3
Total			46	35	6	5	98	33

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Players

These players are regularly considered integral members of Senya's Golden Generation, having appeared in numerous tournament squads between 2016 and 2023, and most having earned multiple winner's medals.

  Squad member.

 Tournament winner.

  Player not chosen.

Player	Pos.									Squads, /8
Sileman Bɏankarlënœ	GK									7
Jake Colchester	DF									3
Alesandrœ Danetskë	FW									8
Harë Ëgermarč	DF									5
Nat Grezem	DF									4
Barnaby Hands	MF									8
Mark Jacobs	GK									3
Maksim Ĵerzënyœ	DF									4
Sam Kimsin	MF									4
Jan Maytek	MF									8
Aleks Mëa	DF									8
Markœ Minyorletsken	MF									8
Karl Rœč	DF									5
Jack Smith	FW									7
Domonik Ƨarkœvič	MF									7
Jær Van Kotrisbond	DF									8
Rödë Vankarlënœ	DF									5
Kiket Volinsk	FW									6
Ƨinkœ Zvet	MF									8

Other squad members

Although not deemed part of the Golden Generation, these players also featured in tournament squads during this period of the team's history, with some having gained a number of winner's medals as reserve players.

Player	Pos.	Squads
Robin Aleksarnder	DF	2	1
Dan Brozal	FW	2	1
Deryebel Čagelhîmer	FW	2	1
Jonathan Delaney	MF	1	1
Öner Gonzarlez	GK	1	1
Matthew Hazlan	FW	1	1
Jacob Kalpsing	MF	1	1
Nathaniel Kier	GK	1	1
Alan Kurning	DF	1	0

Player	Pos.	Squads
Garë Mendë	MF	1	1
Alexander Micheual-Nxamanx	MF	1	0
Kazak Mongel	FW	1	1
Patrik Montol	MF	4	3
Sesker Moskver	MF	3	2
Mike Nellingham	GK	1	1
Aleksarnder Pitka	GK	3	2
Isaac Prelvinher	FW	1	0
Mark Prën	DF	2	1

Player	Pos.	Squads
Æden Rinforgetskarlos	GK	5	2
Alan Rochester	DF	2	2
Rosëvanderlöp Sanergöner	MF	1	1
Jan Ƨardënöčer	DF	2	2
Vladimër Ƨöčer	DF	3	2
Bɏëder Volinsk	DF	4	2
Lökas Vrandela	FW	4	1
Matthew Wilks	MF	6	3

Super six

Hands, Minyorletsken and Zvet celebrate the latter's winning goal during the 2023 World Cup final.

A crucial aspect of the Senyan success over the years was the presence of the so-called super six players, consisting of Alesandrœ Danetskë, captain Barnaby Hands, Jan Maytek, Aleks Mëa, Markœ Minyorletsken and Ƨinkœ Zvet. The six, who had all been part of the national team set-up since the team's foundation in 2012, were all regular starters throughout the entirety of the successful period between 2016 and 2023. These six are widely considered to be Senya's better players, having taken in a combined ten appearances in the FMF World Cup Team of the Tournament, with Danetskë, Hands, Mëa and Zvet having been acknowledged twice. Furthermore, Danetskë and Mëa have both won the award for best player at the World Cup, and Danetskë has been acknowledged as the tournament's top goalscorer on three separate occasions.

The first acknowledgement of the super six as a group came during the 2018 Copa Apollonia, following Senya's 0–0 draw in the Group Stage against Stormark, when the team was held up in the hotel and manager Draco Sanchez suddenly resigned and fled the team's hotel. Danetskë, Hands, Maytek and Mëa reportedly sat in Maytek's room playing cards for several hours, before Minyorletsken and Zvet joined them to share the news of Sanchez's resignation. The six agreed to take charge of the camp, persuading David Morter, then the assistant manager, to take the role of manager, and organising training sessions whilst some of the coaching staff were in hospital, having been attacked by hooligans in the aftermath of the Stormark game. Subsequently, many players and insiders of the Senyan national team camp have reported that the six are the focal point of the team and are considered the leaders in the squad. All six players enjoy immense popularity amongst the Senyan public.

Whilst Jær Van Kotrisbond and Jack Smith have also won 5 medals during the same time period, they are not considered part of the super six due to them not always being regular starters, although both have at points been integral first team players.