{
  "id": 1835206,
  "title": "Patrick Vieira Takes over as Head Coach of Senegal’s Teranga Lions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/patrick-vieira-takes-over-as-head-coach-of-senegals-teranga-lions",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T00:15:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/08/19/patrick-vieira-takes-over-as-head-coach-of-senegals-teranga-lions/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Patrick Vieira, the former captain of Arsenal and France, has been appointed as the new head coach of Senegal's national football team, the Teranga Lions. The 50-year-old replaces Pape Thiaw, who was dismissed after Senegal's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the group stage. Vieira, who was born in Dakar, will now manage the country of his birth. He will take over from Thiaw in the coming month, in time for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Vieira's appointment is seen by Senegal's football federation as a move to bolster the team's technical capabilities and aligns with the nation's sporting aspirations. The specifics of Vieira's contract and start date are still under negotiation. He previously managed Genoa in Italy, leading them to safety in the 2024-25 Serie A season with eight wins and nine draws. However, he left Genoa after securing just two wins in the subsequent 2025-26 season. Vieira's playing career included winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups with Arsenal, as well as medals with AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Manchester City. He retired in 2011 and briefly managed New York City prior to returning to Europe. After managing Crystal Palace and leading RC Strasbourg to a 13th-place finish in Ligue 1 in his first season, Vieira is now set to take the helm of Senegal's national team.",
  "summary": "Former Arsenal and France Captain, Patrick Vieira, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Senegal men’s national team. The 50‑year‑old replaces Pape Thiaw, who was sacked in the",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}