Patrick Vieira returns to football with first international job after ten months without a gig

Patrick Vieira has been announced as the new head coach of Senegal.

It marks the Arsenal and France legend’s return to management after leaving Genoa last November.

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A new chapter for Vieira

Vieira succeeds Pape Thiaw, who was sacked by the Lions of Teranga following their World Cup last-16 exit this summer.

And the 50-year-old has a special connection to Senegal: although he ultimately earned 107 caps for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, he was born in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

This will be the iconic former midfielder’s sixth frontline coaching role – and his first in international football.

Widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of all time, Vieira won three Premier League titles with Arsene Wenger‘s Arsenal, captaining them to glory in the famous ‘Invincibles’ season of 2003/04.

He later won three Serie A titles and the Champions League with Inter Milan.

Having retired from playing in 2011 after a short spell with Manchester City, winning the FA Cup in one of his final career appearances, Vieira went on to manage the club’s Elite Development Squad.

He subsequently took charge of New York City and Nice before returning to the Premier League as Crystal Palace boss in 2021.

Dismissed by Palace towards the end of the 2022/23 season, Vieira then took charge at Strasbourg and Genoa.

Vieira follows in France teammates’ footsteps

The three-time Premier League champion is the latest member of France’s victorious 1998 World Cup squad to take the reins of a national team.

Captain Didier Deschamps became only the third person to win the World Cup as a player and manager when he led Les Bleus’ to their second crown in 2018.

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Having succeeded Laurent Blanc in 2012, he stood down after this summer’s tournament to be succeeded by another of his old teammates, Zinedine Zidane.

Additionally, Thierry Henry coached France to silver at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and goalkeeper Bernard Lama briefly managed Kenya.

Senegal set their sights on AFCON

Vieira’s first mission in his new job will be to guide Senegal to qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Lions of Teranga were crowned continental champions for the first time at the 2021 edition and thought they had lifted the trophy again last time around, only for Morocco to be awarded the title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) – who overturned the result following a hugely controversial final in which Senegal left the pitch in protest at refereeing decisions.

Qualifying for the 2027 AFCON begins next month, with Senegal hosting Mozambique then travelling to Ethiopia.

Sudan are the other nation in the Lions of Teranga’s four-team group.