Senegal’s football federation has dismissed head coach Pape Thiaw and his entire technical team, bringing an end to an eventful 18-month spell marked by early success, growing unrest and a disappointing World Cup exit.
The decision came after the Teranga Lions crashed out in the last 32 against Belgium in dramatic fashion. Senegal looked set for victory after Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr gave them a 2-0 lead. But substitute Romelu Lukaku inspired Belgium’s comeback before Youri Tielemans forced extra time and then converted a 125th-minute penalty. The spot kick was awarded after a lengthy VAR review ruled that Lamine Camara had committed a foul, sealing a remarkable 3-2 turnaround.
The defeat capped a difficult World Cup campaign. Thiaw, who took charge in December 2024, watched his side lose to France and Norway in the group stage before a commanding 5-0 win over Iraq secured qualification as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
The Senegalese Football Federation’s Executive Committee met on Saturday, July 11, and quickly decided to end Thiaw’s tenure. In a statement, the federation said it had dismissed him “in the best interests of Senegalese football” after reviewing the national team’s performances and future prospects.
Tensions within the squad also played a role. Midfielder Pape Gueye publicly announced he would step away from international football for as long as the current coaching staff remained in charge, a move that reportedly accelerated the federation’s decision.
Off the pitch, Thiaw’s relationship with the federation had been under strain for months. According to Sport News Africa, he had gone about five months without pay before the World Cup and had been working without a valid contract since February. The report said the federation only agreed to renew his deal hours before Senegal’s group-stage match against Norway, after Thiaw threatened to walk away just six hours before kickoff.
Thiaw’s reign had begun on a high note when he guided Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations title in January. That success was later overshadowed by controversy. CAF stripped Senegal of the trophy after ruling on Thiaw’s conduct during the final against Morocco.
The dispute stemmed from a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco. Furious with the decision, Thiaw led his players off the field in protest. The team returned about 17 minutes later, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, and Pape Gueye scored the winner in extra time. In March, CAF overturned the result because of the walk-off and awarded the title to Morocco instead. Senegal has appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an effort to have the title restored.
Thiaw also received a five-match suspension and a $100,000 fine over the incident. The ban was due to begin in September during Senegal’s 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
With Thiaw gone, attention has shifted to his successor. French newspaper L’Équipe reports that former France midfielder and World Cup winner Patrick Vieira, who was born in Dakar, is among the leading candidates. FSF president Abdoulaye Fall is expected to explain the decision and outline the federation’s plans at a press conference on Monday.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah