New Senegal head coach Patrick Vieira has described his appointment as an absolute dream.
The 50-year-old, who was born in Senegal but won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France as a player, said he felt immense pride taking his first international job.
Vieira spoke at his unveiling by the Teranga Lions in Dakar on Friday, after previous club spells with New York City FC, Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and Genoa.
“Being head coach of the Senegal national team is an absolute dream. I was born here, my parents were born here, and it really is a homecoming,” Vieira said.
“From the very first meetings I had with the [Senegal football federation] president, I accepted this challenge straight away, because there was also an exceptional generation of players.
“I realise the expectations of the people – all 20 million Senegalese. And I know that with the experience I have, with the determination I have, I’ll be able to see this project through.”
Vieira replaces Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed after Senegal’s dramatic exit at the 2026 World Cup, where they surrendered a 2-0 lead after 85 minutes against Belgium to lose 3-2 in extra time in the round of 32.
The team had earlier won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Morocco in January, though the final outcome is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Senegal players and officials walked off in protest over a penalty decision, which led to the trophy being handed to hosts Morocco in March.
“Today, Senegal is among the major nations in world football. Senegal’s objectives aren’t what they were 10 or 15 years ago. On the back of its recent results, Senegal has moved forward, has reached new levels,” Vieira said.
He said he plans to build a team with a very precise structure that plays with intensity and aggression, while preserving its identity and unity.
“What matters to me isn’t starting again from scratch. It’s about respecting what the federation has put in place over the last few years and building the next stage, opening a new chapter.
“To make this project work, I’ll need the whole nation united. I’ll work heart and soul to restore the team’s pride,” he added.
Vieira faces an immediate test with 2027 AFCON qualifiers. His first game, scheduled as a home fixture against Mozambique on September 25, has been reversed to Maputo due to Dakar’s preparations for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
“Of course, I’d have preferred to play the first match here in Dakar but unfortunately, with the federation, we all felt the best decision was to postpone the match and go and play in Mozambique,” he said.
Senegal will be without several key names for the trips to Mozambique and Ethiopia on September 29.
Former first-choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, 34, has retired from international duty, while Sadio Mane, also 34, is out with a physical issue, though Vieira said the former Liverpool forward will surely return next time if fit.
Right-back Krepin Diatta was omitted for being without a club, while Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr is also absent due to transfer speculation and a groin injury.
Despite a decorated playing career, Vieira has struggled to replicate that success as a manager. He left Palace in March 2023 with 22 wins in 74 games, spent a season at Strasbourg, and was sacked by Genoa in November last year after six defeats in nine league games, having previously kept them in Serie A.
“When you talk about my coaching career, or a certain amount of experience, I’ve always been someone who stays positive. I’m a better coach today than I was in my last spell at Genoa, because that experience helped me grow,” he said.
Vieira was given a rousing reception on arrival in Dakar on Thursday, with clips showing him holding the Senegal flag aloft as he greeted fans at the airport.
“I couldn’t have been given a warmer welcome. Taking charge of this national team isn’t just a new stage in my career – it’s coming back home,” he said.
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