Patrick Vieira has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next head coach of the Senegal national team.
According to Foot Mercato, the Senegalese Football Federation have made the Arsenal legend their priority to succeed Pape Thiaw.
The conversations are in place, but the process remains in its early stages. Likewise, no agreement has been reached with the 50-year-old.
Vieira's last managerial stint was in Italy with Genoa, having made his exit in November 2025. Interestingly, the Senegal role would be his first time managing an international team.
Why Patrick Vieira Is Senegal's Top Managerial Target
Vieira was born in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, before moving to France with his family at the age of eight. He was conferred French citizenship at birth, as his grandfather had served in the French army.
While the Arsenal legend has spent most of his life outside Senegal, the potential appointment has strong sporting appeal.
The West African nation is still arguably the best team on the continent after Morocco. This offers the French manager an opportunity to manage one of the biggest names on the international stage.
Vieira brings extensive coaching experience to the table, having managed five teams across four countries. The FIFA World Cup winner started his managerial career in the United States with New York City FC.
The 50-year-old then went on to manage Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and Genoa. While in Italy, Vieira helped Il Grifone to escape relegation.
Before Vieira's arrival, the Italian side was sitting just above the Serie A relegation zone. The Frenchman then stabilised the club upon his arrival, and Genoa ended up 13th at the end of the season.
However, the Dakar-native was dismissed at the start of the 2025-26 season after a disappointing start to the campaign.
Nevertheless, Vieira's experience across four different leagues has placed him at the front of Senegal’s search.
Why Senegal Dismissed Pape Thiaw After The World Cup
Thiaw entered the tournament after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal. The Lions of Teranga defeated Morocco in the final before being crowned the African champions.
However, Thiaw's men struggled to perform at a similar level in the World Cup. They lost their opening game against France and then fell prey to Norway after conceding three against the Scandinavians.
Only a 5-0 win against Iraq in their third game saved them from a group stage elimination. The African champions then faced Belgium in the Round of 32.
Senegal started the game well as they were leading 2-0 until the 85th minute. However, Romelu Lukaku had other plans, with the striker scoring a late first goal in the subsequent minute.
Youri Tielemans then equalised in the 89th minute, sending the game to extra time. An injury-time penalty during the second half of extra time was converted by Tielemans, eliminating Senegal in the Round of 32.
Likewise, Thiaw was dismissed alongside his coaching staff following the team's underwhelming run in the 2026 World Cup.
