Senegal has parted ways with head coach Aliou Cisse, bringing an end to his nine and a half year tenure overseeing the Teranga Lions, Afrosport reports.
The 48-year-old former Senegal international, who played 35 times for the West Africans, led them to a triumphant outing at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the country’s first continental title.
Cisse, whose contract with the Teranga Lions ended in August, took charge of the team in last month’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers as Senegal played out a 1-1 draw with Burkina Faso before securing a 1-0 win over Burundi.
With Senegal back in action in about nine days, Cisse, who had called a press conference to announce his squad for their upcoming double-header against Malawi for Friday, will not continue as coach as his contract will not be renewed, after a long row between the country’s football federation (FSF) and their sport ministry.
“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of various national selections and wishes him every success for the future,” a statement said.
They also said in the statement that the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.
𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙈𝙐𝙉𝙄𝙌𝙐𝙀́ 👇
La FSF tient à remercier Monsieur Aliou CISSE pour sa bonne collaboration et ses brillants résultats à la tête des différentes sélections nationales qu’il a eu à diriger depuis son arrivée en 2011 et lui souhaite pleins succès pour l’avenir. pic.twitter.com/W6Lxt7E9cw
— Equipe du Sénégal (@GaindeYi) October 2, 2024
Alongside his AFCON triumph in February 2022, Cisse also led Senegal to two FIFA World Cups and a round of 16 outing at AFCON 2023 earlier this year where they lost on penalties to hosts and eventual winners Ivory Coast.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in this month’s AFCON qualifiers as the Teranga Lions host Malawi at home on October 11 at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade before heading away four days later.
