Khadi Diene Gaye, Senegal’s Minister of Sports, Youth, and Culture has outlined the rationale behind the decision not to renew coach Aliou Cisse’s contract as head of the national football team, the “Lions of Teranga.”
Speaking to Senegalese media, she clarified that Cisse’s contract had ended in August and that a thorough review had been conducted before deciding not to extend it.
“The contract has ended, and the goals have not been achieved, including winning the last African Cup of Nations and advancing the national team to the quarter-finals of the World Cup,” Gaye stated.
These objectives, which were central to Cisse’s tenure, ultimately remained unmet, making it challenging to justify a renewal.
She emphasized that the Ministry and the Senegalese Football Federation held discussions well in advance to address the contract’s future.
According to Gaye, “We could not extend the contract because there was no implicit reason for renewal in the contract.”
She noted that if there had been a clause or significant progress toward the set goals, “the federation would have probably done so.”
The Senegalese Football Federation formally announced Cisse’s departure in early October, confirming the Ministry’s stance against renewal and marking the end of a notable era in Senegalese football.
