Patrick Vieira appointed Senegal head coach following Pape Thiaw dismissal

Appointment in Dakar

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) confirmed on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, that former French international Patrick Vieira has taken over as head coach of the Senegal men's national team. Vieira, 50, was born in the Senegalese capital of Dakar before moving to France at the age of eight. The FSF announced the appointment on X, stating that the date of his official presentation and the logistical details of his installation would be released at a later time.

This strategic choice marks a new step in FSF's desire to set up a high-level technical staff, in line with the sporting ambitions of our country.

Succession and recent tournament history

Vieira succeeds 45-year-old Pape Thiaw, who managed Senegal from late 2024 until his dismissal following the 2026 World Cup. Senegal exited that tournament in the round of 32 against Belgium, surrendering a 2-0 advantage in the final minutes of normal time before losing 2-3 in extra time. Thiaw's tenure had also featured controversy at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, where he led the squad off the pitch for 17 minutes after a stoppage-time penalty was awarded to Morocco. Although Brahim Diaz had his kick saved and Pape Gueye scored in extra time, the Confederation of African Football officially declared Morocco the champions in March. The federation had also considered former manager Hervé Renard for the position, though Renard took charge of Ivory Coast on 4 August.

A decade in club management

The role represents Vieira's first post at the senior international level. The manager had spent nine months without a club following his departure from Italian side Genoa in November 2025. During the 2024-2025 Serie A campaign, he directed Genoa to safety and a 13th-place finish by recording eight wins and nine draws in 26 league matches. However, he parted ways with the club by mutual consent after opening the 2025-2026 season with two victories, both of which came in the Coppa Italia.

Vieira's managerial path began in Major League Soccer with New York City in 2016 after working with Manchester City's youth setup. In 2018, he returned to European football with Nice, steering the French club to seventh in Ligue 1 before leaving in December 2020. He joined Crystal Palace in 2021, leading the team to 12th in the Premier League and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in 2021-2022, before departing in March 2023 after a 12-match winless streak. He then managed Strasbourg following the club's acquisition by BlueCo, leaving by mutual consent in July 2024.

International preparations for 2027

As a player, Vieira earned over 100 international caps for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. He made more than 400 appearances for Arsenal, collecting three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, alongside spells at AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester City. The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations champions now begin a new competitive cycle under his leadership. Vieira's first matches on the bench will take place during the September 2026 international window as qualifying begins for the 2027 tournament.