Senegal fires AFCON-winning coach Aliou Cisse

Senegal has decided to part ways with coach Aliou Cisse, the man who led the national team to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 2022 and guided them through two consecutive World Cup tournaments.

The decision reportedly came from Senegal’s sports minister, Khady Diene Gaye, following a government request not to renew Cisse’s contract.

Cisse, a former national team captain and Paris Saint-Germain player, had been in charge since 2015.

Under his leadership, Senegal reached new heights, including winning the coveted AFCON title two years ago and reaching the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup.

However, their performance at this year’s AFCON saw them fall short, losing to hosts and eventual champions Ivory Coast in the same stage.

In response to the decision, the Senegalese Football Association announced that an interim coaching team would take over for the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Malawi.

Senegal, currently tied with Burkina Faso on four points in their group, remains unbeaten in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers but trails group leaders Sudan by two points.

As Senegal looks ahead to the future, Cisse’s departure marks the end of an era for the team, with hopes that new leadership can continue to build on the success he brought to Senegalese football.