Former Arsenal captain succeeds Pape Thiaw
Senegal reached last 32 of this summer’s World Cup
Senegal have appointed France’s 1998 World Cup winner Patrick Vieira as head coach, the country’s football federation announced, succeeding Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed in the wake of their World Cup exit.
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”.
His main mission will be to revitalise the team after Senegal’s bruising loss to Belgium in the last 32 of the World Cup. Thiaw was sacked less than two weeks later. The 45-year-old former Senegal international had taken over in 2024.
The Senegalese football federation (FSF) president said at the time of his dismissal that toxicity had surrounded the team at the World Cup after Thiaw demanded a pay rise.
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.
The appointment of Vieira, who grew up in France from the age of eight, was ratified on Monday, the FSF said. His official presentation would occur at a future, unspecified date, it added.
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 in Italy. After ending his playing career at Manchester City, Vieira cut his coaching teeth at New York City FC from 2016 before taking over the French top-flight side Nice from 2018 to 2020.
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. He played 107 times for France and won the World Cup in 1998 as well as the Euros two years later.
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. Senegal have appealed that decision, with a hearing to take place behind closed doors at the court of arbitration for sport in Lausanne, Switzerland on 8 October.