Cisse Resigns as Senegal Head Coach After Over Nine Years in Charge

Aliou Cissé has resigned as head coach of Senegal after nine and a half years leading the Teranga Lions.

At 48, Cissé guided Senegal to their first continental championship, clinching the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Although his previous contract expired in August, he continued in his role for Senegal’s two qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON last month, resulting in a 1-1 draw with Burkina Faso and a 1-0 win over Burundi.

While the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) sought to renew Cissé’s contract, the sports ministry, under the new government led by Bassirou Diomaye Faye, opted to end his lengthy tenure just nine days before the upcoming qualifiers.

This decision is surprising, especially since Cissé had scheduled a press conference for Friday to announce his squad for this month’s matches against Malawi.

Cissé, who earned 35 caps for Senegal as a player, took over as coach in March 2015. Under his leadership, the Teranga Lions held the title of Africa’s top-ranked team for more than four years.

They won the Nations Cup on penalties against Egypt in Cameroon, just three years after finishing as runners-up in the 2019 tournament.

However, their title defense earlier this year was cut short in the Round of 16 after a penalty shootout loss to the hosts and eventual champions, Ivory Coast.