Former Arsenal and France captain Patrick Vieira has been appointed head coach of Senegal, replacing Pape Thiaw after the national team’s last-32 elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Vieira, 50, was born in Dakar but moved to France at the age of eight. He went on to win more than 100 caps for Les Bleus, helping them claim the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) said the appointment demonstrated its “desire to strengthen its high-level technical staff” and was “perfectly aligned” with the country’s sporting ambitions.
The details of Vieira’s contract, including his official start date, have not yet been finalised. His first fixtures are expected to come next month, when Senegal begin their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Vieira returns to international management after leaving Serie A club Genoa by mutual consent in November. He departed with Genoa bottom of the league after a difficult start to the 2025-26 season.
During the previous campaign, Vieira won eight and drew nine of his 26 matches in charge, guiding Genoa away from danger and to a 13th-place finish. However, his team won only twice in 25 games during the following season, with both victories coming in the Coppa Italia.
A decorated career
Vieira enjoyed a distinguished playing career with Arsenal, where he won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups. He also collected major honours with AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester City before retiring in 2011.
He moved into coaching in 2016 with New York City FC, subsequently returning to Europe to take charge of Nice. In his first season with the French club, he guided them to seventh place in Ligue 1.
Nice dismissed Vieira in December 2020. He became Crystal Palace manager the following year and led the Eagles to 12th in the Premier League and the FA Cup semi-finals during the 2021-22 campaign.
His time at Crystal Palace ended in March 2023 after a run of 12 matches without a win.
Vieira later joined Strasbourg, becoming the first manager appointed by the club after its takeover by BlueCo, the company that owns Chelsea. He left Strasbourg by mutual consent in July 2024.
Senegal still involved in Afcon dispute
Vieira inherits a Senegal side whose recent history remains overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
Thiaw was criticised in January after ordering his players off the pitch when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty. The Senegal team eventually returned after a delay of about 17 minutes.
Morocco forward Brahim Diaz saw his penalty saved, before Pape Gueye scored the decisive goal in extra time. Despite that result, Morocco were officially declared winners in March after the Confederation of African Football’s appeals board overturned the outcome following Senegal’s walk-off.
Senegal have appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The case is scheduled to be heard on 8 October.
