Patrick Vieira, a 50-year-old former Arsenal captain, has been appointed as the head coach of Senegal. He succeeds Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed after Senegal's defeat by Belgium in the last 32 at this summer's World Cup. Vieira has been out of work since leaving his post as manager of the Serie A side Genoa last November.
Vieira's appointment marks a return to his country of birth, where he will now lead the national team. The Senegalese football association confirmed the appointment, stating that Vieira is the new coach of the national team. The date of the official presentation and the next steps in his installation will be communicated at a later date.
Vieira's managerial career has been marked by spells with Nice, New York City, Crystal Palace, and Strasbourg. He has previously won three Premier League titles with Arsenal, as well as the World Cup and European Championship with France in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Vieira was also sacked by Crystal Palace in March 2023.