Patrick Vieira appointed head coach of Senegal national football team
Former France international Patrick Vieira has taken charge of his native Senegal's national football team, which put up a strong fight at the 2026 World Cup before falling in extra time in the knockout stage.
Patrick Vieira, who was born in Senegal but moved to France with his family at the age of eight, has become the head coach of the Senegal national football team. As a player, Vieira earned 107 caps for France, scored six goals, and won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000 with the French national side.
At club level, Vieira was one of the standout midfielders of his generation, winning three English league titles with Arsenal and, in Italy, a combined four Italian championships with the Milan giants. He ended his playing career with Manchester City's development squad before moving into coaching, starting out with New York City FC.
As a coach, Vieira has also worked in France with Nice and Strasbourg, managed Crystal Palace in England, and spent a year in charge of Genoa in Italy.
Senegal shifts away from local coaches
Over the past 18 years, Senegal's national team has mostly relied on local coaches. During that period the side was also led by Frenchman Alain Giresse, but he was succeeded by Senegalese coaches Aliou Cissé and Pape Thiaw. Vieira now becomes the latest, and most prominent, foreign-born appointment with Senegalese roots.
At the 2026 World Cup, Senegal opened with two defeats — 1-3 to France and 2-3 to Norway — before thrashing Iraq 5-0 to finish third in the group and advance. In the round of 16, however, the team squandered a two-goal lead and lost 2-3 after extra time.
In September, Senegal will begin Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, drawn in a group with Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia. The 2027 finals, set for June and July, will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
