Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira has been appointed as Senegal’s new men’s national head coach.

The former France international was appointed by the Senegalese Football Federation on Tuesday following an urgent meeting held on Monday by the federation’s emergency committee.

The FSF confirmed the decision to appoint the manager after the meeting.

The FSF said in a statement that the move marked a strategic stage in integrating the country’s sporting ambitions for the future.

“This strategic choice marks a new stage in the FSF’s desire to establish a high-level technical structure fully aligned with our country’s sporting ambitions,” the FSF said.

The federation announced the appointment in a statement on X, saying, “Mr. Patrick Vieira is the new coach of Senegal’s senior national team. The date of the official presentation and the next steps in his installation will be the subject of a subsequent announcement. Welcome to Senegal, Coach.”

The former French international was born in Dakar before moving to Europe and building his professional career with the French national team. For France, he made 100 appearances and won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship.

At Arsenal, he won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups before making moves to other top sides in Europe, including Manchester City, Inter Milan and AC Milan.

In 2011, after his retirement, he began his senior managerial career as the head coach of New York City FC before coaching Nice in the French top flight. Vieira and the club parted ways in December 2020, before he was appointed as Crystal Palace manager.

The manager was sacked following a poor run of results and returned to France to coach RC Strasbourg, leaving the role by mutual consent in 2024, before a short spell leading Serie A side Genoa.

Vieira succeeds former manager Pape Thiaw and will lead Senegal through the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification stage.