Patrick Vieira appointed as the coach of Senegal.
After Senegal’s elimination in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup and the departure of Pape Thiaw, the Senegalese Football Federation has chosen Patrick Vieira to open a new chapter. The 1998 world champion is taking charge of a national team for the first time.
It is now official: Patrick Vieira is the new head coach of Senegal. The Senegalese Football Federation unanimously approved the appointment of the former French international during an extraordinary meeting of its Emergency Committee. This decision comes a few weeks after the 2026 World Cup, at the end of which the Lions of Teranga were eliminated by Belgium (3-2 after extra time). A particularly painful defeat, as Senegal had a two-goal lead before seeing their opponents turn the game around.
Vieira thus succeeds Pape Thiaw and will have the heavy task of revitalizing an ambitious team. The former midfielder already has significant experience in management. He has notably coached New York City, OGC Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg, and Genoa. This appointment, however, marks a first for the 50-year-old coach, who has never managed a national team before. His first major challenge will be to lead Senegal to the next Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled for 2027.
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