Vieira says lessons from Genoa have prepared him for Senegal role

Patrick Vieira has defended his suitability to lead Senegal after being questioned about his “not great” record during his most recent club job at Genoa.

The 1998 World Cup winner was officially presented as Senegal’s new head coach on Friday, beginning his tenure with the announcement of his first squad and his first news conference in the role.

Vieira, who was born in Dakar, was asked whether his recent results were enough to meet the greater demands of managing the national team. His spell at Genoa was described as “not great”, prompting questions over whether he fully understood the expectations attached to the position.

The former France midfielder initially responded with a smile before delivering a little over a minute of explanation. He highlighted his experience as a coach and said he had learned from his previous challenge.

Vieira was dismissed by Genoa in November 2025 after a difficult opening to the 2025-2026 season. The club were bottom of the Italian championship after nine matches and had not won a single game.

The former Strasbourg manager now faces the task of rebuilding a Senegal side coming off a frustrating elimination in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

His first matches will attract close attention. Senegal are due to face Mozambique and Ethiopia on 25 and 29 September respectively in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, before meeting Comoros in a friendly in Marseille on 4 October.

The appointment marks a return to international management for Vieira, who must now transfer his coaching experience to a national side with immediate competitive commitments.