Vieira returns to manage Senegal national team
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Patrick Vieira has been appointed head coach of the Senegal men's national team, succeeding Pape Thiaw, who was sacked following the country's last-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup. Born in Dakar, the 50-year-old former Arsenal and France captain will now manage the country of his birth, having moved to France as a child and gone on to win the World Cup and European Championship with Les Bleus. The Senegalese football federation said the appointment reflects its ambition to strengthen its coaching setup, though contract details and a start date were still being finalised; his first matches in charge are expected next month in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Vieira's most recent role was at Genoa, which he left by mutual consent last November with the club bottom of Serie A, having managed only two wins all season. He previously guided the Italian side to a 13th-place finish in 2024-25 and has managerial experience with New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace and Strasbourg, alongside a playing career that brought three Premier League titles and four FA Cups at Arsenal. He inherits a Senegal side embroiled in a dispute over the 2025 Afcon final, which Morocco were awarded after Thiaw's walk-off protest; Senegal's appeal against that decision is due to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 8 October 2026.
- Patrick Vieira appointed new Senegal head coach, replacing sacked Pape Thiaw
- Dakar-born ex-Arsenal and France captain returns to manage birth country
- Inherits Afcon final dispute; CAS appeal hearing set for 8 October 2026
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Patrick Vieira, a 50-year-old former France and Arsenal midfielder who captained his country to World Cup and European Championship wins, has been made head coach of Senegal's men's football team. He was born in Dakar but moved to France as a child, so this appointment puts him in charge of managing his country of birth for the first time. He replaces Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed after Senegal went out in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup.
Vieira has managed several clubs, including Nice, New York City, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and, most recently, Genoa in Italy, which he left last November by mutual agreement while the club sat bottom of Serie A. His task now will be to prepare Senegal for qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, starting next month.
The appointment also comes while Senegal is still pursuing a legal challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport over a disputed decision to overturn the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, an unresolved issue that forms part of the backdrop to the national team's current situation.
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Originally published by BBC Sport as “Vieira named new Senegal head coach”.