Patrick Vieira Appointed Head Coach of Senegal National Team

Patrick Vieira has been named the new head coach of Senegal, returning to the country of his birth to take charge of the national team.

The former Arsenal captain, out of work since leaving Serie A side Genoa last November, steps in for Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed after Senegal’s exit to Belgium in the last 32 at this summer’s World Cup.

“Mr Patrick Vieira is the new coach of the Senegalese national A team,” read a statement confirming the appointment. “The date of the official presentation and the next steps in its installation will be communicated at a later date. Welcome to Senegal, coach.”

It is a landmark move. Vieira, 50, arrives with one of the most decorated CVs of his generation. He won three Premier League titles with Arsenal, anchoring Arsène Wenger’s great sides, and lifted both the World Cup and European Championship with France in 1998 and 2000.

His coaching path has been varied and demanding. After starting out in Major League Soccer with New York City, he returned to Europe to manage Nice in Ligue 1. A two-year spell at Crystal Palace followed, where he reshaped the south London club before being sacked in March 2023. He then took over at Strasbourg, and after that, embarked on a 12‑month stint in Italy with Genoa.

Now comes a very different challenge: turning that breadth of experience into a winning formula for Senegal on the international stage.