Senegal appoint Vieira as head coach after World Cup disappointment

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Senegal have appointed France’s 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira as head coach, the country’s football federation announced Tuesday, succeeding Pape Thiaw who was dismissed after the World Cup.

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The appointment of Vieira, who was born in Senegal, is a “strategic move”, the federation said in a social media post, aiming to “establish a high-level technical staff, in line with our country’s sporting ambitions”.

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His main mission will be to revitalise the team after Senegal’s bruising loss to Belgium in the last 32 of the World Cup.

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Thiaw was sacked less than two weeks later. The 45-year-old former Senegal international had taken over as national team boss in 2024.

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The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) president said at the time that toxicity had surrounded the team at the World Cup after Thiaw demanded a pay rise.

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The Lions of Teranga had also suffered two defeats in the World Cup group stage, against France and Norway, before a 5–0 victory over Iraq secured their place in the knockout rounds.

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The appointment of Vieira, who grew up in France starting at age eight, was ratified Monday, the FSF said.

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The FSF’s announcement on Facebook was accompanied by an image of Vieira smiling and the message “Welcome to Senegal, coach”.

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His official presentation as head coach will occur at a future, unspecified date, it added.

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– Storied career –

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Vieira was a key part of a superb Arsenal side which won the English league three times between 1998 and 2004, before moving to Juventus and then Inter Milan in Italy.

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After ending his playing career at Manchester City, Vieira cut his coaching teeth at New York City FC from 2016 before taking over French top-flight side Nice from 2018 to 2020.

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The 50-year-old returned to England as manager of Premier League side Crystal Palace in 2021 but was sacked in March 2023 after a 12-match winless run. He subsequently had short stints at Strasbourg and Italian side Genoa.

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He played 107 times for France and won the World Cup in 1998 as well as the Euros two years later.

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Under Thiaw, Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January before being stripped of their title as a punishment for walking off the pitch during the chaotic final against Morocco.

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Senegal have appealed that decision, with a hearing to take place behind closed doors at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland on October 8.

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AFP

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