Former Arsenal and France captain Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the new head coach of the Senegal men’s national team.
The 50‑year‑old replaces Pape Thiaw, who was sacked in the wake of the country’s last‑32 exit at the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Born in Senegal’s capital Dakar, Vieira will now manage the country of his birth, having moved to France aged eight before later winning over 100 caps for Les Bleus and lifting the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.
Senegal’s Football Federation (FSF) said the appointment reflects its “desire to strengthen its high-level technical staff” and is “perfectly aligned” with the nation’s sporting ambitions.
Details of Vieria’s contract and his starting date in the role are still being discussed.
His first matches in charge of the Teranga Lions are expected to come next month in qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Vieira joins the West Africans after he left his role as Genoa head coach by mutual consent last November, with the team bottom of Serie A.