The president of Senegal’s football federation (FSF) expressed deep regret over the departure of Aliou Cisse, the coach who led the team to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, following a directive from the sports ministry last month. Cisse, who achieved a historic first Nations Cup title for Senegal in February 2022, was dismissed after nearly ten years in his position, amid disagreements between the FSF and the sports ministry, which is responsible for the coach’s salary.
Under Cisse’s leadership, Senegal also finished as runners-up in the 2019 Afcon and qualified for two FIFA World Cups. Notably, he had not suffered a competitive defeat, aside from penalty shootouts, since the beginning of the previous year. FSF president Augustin Senghor remarked to BBC Sport Africa, “Before his arrival, we had never secured a continental trophy. This was monumental for us. Therefore, I believe it would have been beneficial for him to complete his tenure, especially as Senegal is undergoing a transitional phase.”
Senghor acknowledged that Cisse’s departure was a result of a government decision, which they respect as an authority. Although Cisse’s contract had lapsed in August, he continued to manage the team during the opening qualifiers for the 2025 Afcon in September, where he garnered four points from two matches, and anticipated a 12-month extension to his contract.
“He was taken aback by the decision, but he conveyed that he did not wish to instigate a crisis,” Senghor explained. “His dedication to his country is evident. He stated: ‘President, I will support Senegalese football, as I am a son of this nation.'”
Senghor had hoped for Cisse to oversee the shortest Afcon qualifying campaign in a decade, with all six matches scheduled within three months. He noted, “The current generation, including Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Kalidou Koulibaly, and others, may have only one or two years left to compete, possibly including one more World Cup. Following that, we will transition to the new generation, featuring Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr, Habib Diarra, and other players from our youth teams. We have been developing this plan for an extended period, and Aliou was instrumental in its execution. We believe it would have been preferable for him to remain.”
