Senegal sacks coach Pape Thiaw after stunning 2-0 collapse against Belgium at World Cup

Senegal has sacked men’s football head coach Pape Thiaw after the national team’s elimination in the round of 32 at the World Cup, the Senegalese Football Federation confirmed in a statement on Sunday. Thiaw’s full technical staff were also dismissed.

The federation’s Executive Committee cited a performance review as the basis for the decision. “After an evaluation of the performance of the national team and its prospects, the Executive Committee believes that a change is necessary in the interest of Senegalese football,” the statement read.

The immediate trigger was a painful exit against Belgium, in which Senegal led 2-0 with approximately five minutes of regulation time remaining before the match slipped away. The defeat capped a turbulent group stage in which the Lions of Teranga also lost to both France and Norway, leaving them fortunate to advance.

Thiaw, 45, was appointed to the role in 2024. His tenure had already been clouded by controversy: he guided Senegal to a continental title in Morocco earlier this year, only for the Confederation of African Football to overturn the result. The Senegalese federation has since filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The federation has not yet announced a timeline for appointing a successor.