Former Arsenal and Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira has been appointed head coach of the Senegal national football team, replacing Pape Thiaw ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Senegalese Football Federation, FSF, announced Vieira’s appointment, describing the move as a strategic decision aimed at establishing a high-level technical structure capable of supporting the country’s sporting ambitions.
Vieira, 50, was born in Dakar, Senegal, but represented France at international level. He was part of the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
He also featured in France’s victorious Euro 2000 campaign and earned more than 100 international caps during his career.
Vieira takes over from Thiaw, who guided Senegal to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title before the title was later awarded to Morocco following a controversial incident during the final. Thiaw also came under pressure following Senegal’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Senegal’s campaign ended in the Round of 32 after a 3-2 defeat to Belgium, leading to criticism of the coach and eventually his dismissal.
The FSF said Vieira’s appointment was intended to strengthen the national team’s technical organization and align it with Senegal’s long-term sporting objectives.
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The federation added that the date for Vieira’s official presentation and details of his installation would be announced later.
Vieira began his professional playing career in France with Cannes before moving to Italy, where he had a spell with AC Milan. He later joined Arsenal in 1996 after being brought to the Premier League by compatriot Arsène Wenger.
The midfielder spent almost a decade with the London club and won three Premier League titles, including the historic 2003-04 campaign in which Arsenal went unbeaten throughout the league season.
After leaving Arsenal in 2005, Vieira played for Juventus before moving to Inter Milan, where he continued to win domestic honours. He ended his playing career with Manchester City in 2011.
Patrick Vieira began his coaching career in Major League Soccer with New York City FC in 2016. He returned to France in 2018 to take charge of Nice before moving to the English Premier League, where he managed Crystal Palace. He later had coaching spells with Strasbourg in France and Genoa in Italy.
His appointment as Senegal coach now gives him the opportunity to lead a national team with significant expectations on the continental and international stage.
Vieira’s first major competitive assignment will come during the upcoming FIFA international window from September 21 to October 6, 2026, when Senegal begin their campaign in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, is yet to release the full fixture schedule, but Senegal have been drawn alongside Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia. The new coach will therefore have limited time to settle into the position before the qualifiers begin.
Meanwhile, Senegal are continuing their legal efforts to regain the 2025 AFCON title. The country has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against CAF’s decision to award the title to Morocco following the controversial final.
Patrick Vieira will now be tasked with rebuilding the team, restoring confidence after the World Cup disappointment and guiding Senegal through their next phase of international competition.
Al Jazeera
