Senegal has named Patrick Vieira, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, as their new head coach. The Senegal Football Federation announced this on Tuesday, following the dismissal of Pape Thiaw after the World Cup.
The federation described Vieira's appointment as a smart choice. They said it aims to set up a strong technical team that matches the country's sporting goals.
Vieira’s main job will be to lift the team after their tough loss to Belgium in the World Cup.
Thiaw got fired less than two weeks after the tournament ended. He had been the national team coach since 2024. The president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) mentioned that there was a negative atmosphere around the team during the World Cup. This was after Thiaw asked for a pay rise.
Vieira's appointment was confirmed on Monday, as stated by the FSF. The exact date for his official introduction as head coach is still not clear.
Vieira was an important player for Arsenal, helping them win the English league three times between 1998 and 2004. After that, he played for Juventus and then Inter Milan in Italy.
After finishing his playing career at Manchester City, Vieira began his coaching journey at New York City FC in 2016. He then managed French team Nice from 2018 to 2020.
In 2021, he returned to England to manage Crystal Palace but was sacked in March 2023 after a run of 12 matches without a win. He later had brief positions at Strasbourg and the Italian club Genoa.
Vieira played for France 107 times. He won the World Cup in 1998 and also lifted the Euros trophy two years later.
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