Aliou Cissé has stepped down as the coach of the Senegal national football team after nearly a decade, marking the end of an era for the Teranga Lions. The 48-year-old, who led Senegal to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title in 2022, leaves just days before the team’s upcoming qualifiers for the 2025 tournament.
Cissé’s contract technically expired in August, but Senegal kept him on for the recent qualifiers, including a 1-1 draw with Burkina Faso and a 1-0 win over Burundi. The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) wanted to extend his contract, but the country’s sports ministry, under Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s new administration, made the decision to part ways. The decision’s timing, just nine days before the next round of Afcon qualifiers, surprised many.
In a statement, the FSF expressed their gratitude to Cissé: “The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cissé for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of various national selections and wishes him every success for the future.”
The decision stems from perceived unmet objectives, with Senegal’s failure to reach the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals and their early exit from this year’s Afcon being key factors. Senegal’s current second-place standing in their World Cup qualifying group, behind leaders Sudan, also contributed to the ministry’s concerns. Additionally, a regression in world rankings—Senegal lost their long-standing position as Africa’s top-ranked team to Morocco in December 2022—heightened frustrations. A government letter outlining these reasons cited “the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese in general.”
A Storied Legacy
Cissé’s contributions to Senegalese football are immense, both as a player and a coach. As a former captain of the national team, he was part of Senegal’s “golden generation” and led the team during their memorable 2002 World Cup run, where they reached the quarter-finals in their debut appearance. Earlier that year, Cissé had faced personal disappointment, missing the decisive penalty in the 2002 Afcon final against Cameroon.
His coaching career began in 2011, when he joined the FSF, initially working with the U-23 squad before eventually being promoted to the senior team in 2015. His crowning achievement came in 2022, when Senegal won the delayed 2021 Afcon title, triumphing over Egypt in a tense penalty shootout.
Triumph and Tragedy
Cissé’s life has been marked by both professional success and personal tragedy. In September 2002, he lost 11 family members, including his sister, in the Joola ferry disaster, often referred to as “Africa’s Titanic.” In a 2022 interview, he reflected on the tragedy, saying, “I can’t even count how many times I took the ferry. Every time I came back home, I travelled on the Joola. I could have easily been on the boat too, so I was lucky.”
Cissé demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of personal loss, reflecting this quality in his career. He gained a reputation for his attention to detail and a straightforward approach. Senegal emerged as a formidable force in African football under his leadership, holding the top spot in the continental rankings for over four years.
Uncertain Future for Senegal
Cissé had been expected to announce his squad for the upcoming double-header against Malawi in a press conference this Friday. Now, with his departure, the FSF has yet to name an interim coaching team to lead Senegal through their remaining qualifiers.
Senegal’s football future is at a critical juncture. The team’s performances in both the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 Afcon will be under immense scrutiny, especially given the high standards set during Cissé’s reign. Despite the circumstances of his departure, Cissé leaves behind an enduring legacy of success and a foundation upon which Senegalese football will continue to build.
For Cissé, whose coaching journey began with Senegal’s Under-23 team in 2011, the next chapter remains uncertain. However, his time with the Teranga Lions has cemented his place as one of Africa’s most respected football figures.
