Aliou Cisse has stepped down as head coach of Senegal’s national football team, the Teranga Lions, after nearly a decade in charge.
The 48-year-old coach famously led Senegal to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 2021. Despite his contract expiring in August, Cisse continued to manage the team through two 2025 AFCON qualifiers last month, securing a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso and a 1-0 victory over Burundi.
While the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) had sought to extend his contract, the newly appointed government, under Sports Minister Bassirou Diomaye Faye, decided to end Cisse’s tenure just days before the next round of qualifiers.
The decision comes as a surprise, given that Cisse was preparing to announce his squad for upcoming matches against Malawi in a press conference scheduled for Friday.
Cisse, a former player with 35 caps for Senegal, took charge of the national team in March 2015. During his time as coach, the Teranga Lions became Africa’s top-ranked team for more than four years. His crowning achievement came in 2021 when Senegal won the Nations Cup on penalties against Egypt, three years after finishing as runners-up in the 2019 final.
However, the team’s title defense this year ended in disappointment as they were knocked out in the last 16 by hosts and eventual champions Ivory Coast after a penalty shootout.