Aliou Cissé embodies the Senegalese spirit of teranga, or family and sharing. The former PSG midfielder made 33 caps for the national team and captained a dangerous Senegal side that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.
At AFCON 2002, he missed the final penalty kick that could have given Senegal their first African trophy at AFCON 2002. However, this only further motivated him to bring a title back to Senegal by whatever means possible.
He couldn’t do it as a player. So, in 2012, Aliou Cissé joined the Senegalese national team as a caretaker. His only recorded game of his as a goalkeeper was a 0-0 friendly draw with South Africa. Despite the appointment of Joseph Koto, he stayed within the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF). He attended and coached the Senegal Under-23 National Team before joining the senior team coaching staff.
However, the position was largely ceremonial. The Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations only happens every four years, just like the Olympic Games. Senegal signed Cissé right in the middle of that barren time period. Consequently, the only recorded game of him with the team was a playoff game with Oman to decide qualification to the Olympic Games.
After burning out three different managers, Senegal landed on Aliou Cissé as their next manager.
first team manager
It did not disappoint. They won all six of their games in qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the tournament’s quarterfinals and beating the likes of South Africa and Burkina Faso en route to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, their first World Cup in 16 years. years.
Cissé’s team withdrew due to the Fair Play tiebreakers in Russia. Even then, he was praised by the Senegalese media and public for victories over South Korea and Poland in the year. He then went unbeaten again in qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations later that year. Cissé sent his Senegalese team to the final of the competition.
They went unbeaten once again in a COVID-affected qualifying campaign for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. That set Senegal up for something legendary.
From Cameroon to Qatar
It could be argued that Senegal’s surprise dominance at the World Cup has been coming. At AFCON 2021, Senegal scored just once in the group stage, a stoppage-time penalty in the opener to beat Zimbabwe. Regardless, they finished top of the group with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Guinea. Senegal then stormed into the knockout rounds.
First it was a dominant 2-0 victory over Cape Verde. 3-1 victories against Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso followed. Finally, Senegal had their first major matchup in the final against a touted team from Egypt to win the entire tournament. Neither of them could score in the full 120 minutes, so it went to a penalty shootout.
A heart-stopping duel marred by “Lasergate” ended with Senegalese hero Sadio Mané scoring the winning penalty. The Lions of Teranga won their first AFCON title.
Senegal and Egypt met again in the final round of World Cup qualification to decide which team would make it to Qatar. AS Nancy full-back Saliou Ciss scored an own goal in the first leg. However, veteran striker Boulaye Dia equalized in the second leg. The low scoring affair ended again on penalties. Once again, there were lasers, but they didn’t get in Mané’s way. He scored the winning penalty once again to give Senegal their third World Cup bid.
Mané, who became Senegal’s top scorer over the summer, was instrumental in Senegal’s successes in 2021 and 2022. That’s why his fibula injury just before the World Cup tarnishes the festive atmosphere of Senegal. Mané was a key reason why Senegal could be here; He scored three goals in qualifying. Missing out on the World Cup would not only affect his morale, but could definitely jeopardize Senegal’s chances of carving out a deep career.
A vintage race
Well who? In Senegal’s tough first match against the Netherlands, it didn’t seem like Senegal missed him too much. The AFCON winners and tournament dark horses looked like the better team for much of the game. They made 15 shots (4 on goal) and had a lot of time on the ball. They even had some good chances, forcing Andries Noppert to make big saves. But in the end, goals from Cody Gakpo and Davy Klaassen proved too much for Senegal.
Senegal easily handled a struggling Qatar team on their second matchday. Senegal looked like he could kill a Goliath, even though he was up against a David. Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhou and Bamba Dieng scored in a thumping 3-1 win over Qatar.
Senegal’s do-or-death matchup against Ecuador had a lot going for it. Facing a team that only needed a draw, Senegal knew that he had to turn on his offensive jets. They did so, wreaking havoc on the flanks and breaking through the attacking third. Ismaila Sarr won and scored from a penalty, and though Ecuador hit back midway through the second half, he used his powerful aerial prowess to give Senegal the full three points.
Senegal’s roar became a murmur against England. Although Senegal frustrated England early in the game, forcing some good saves against Jordan Pickford, England’s explosive attack could not be stopped. His World Cup run ended miserably, but it won’t tarnish the lively time Senegal had in Qatar.
Aliou Cissé leads Senegal to brilliance
Of course, the Senegalese stars rose to the challenge in their tough matchups. Ismaila Sarr terrified the opposing full-backs and Kalidou Koulibaly scared both sides of the ball. However, most of Senegal’s success came from Aliou Cissé’s tactics.
It is clear that the coach sees soccer more as a game of chess than an art form. All their formations, lineups and substitutions are calculated. His analytical approach to the beautiful game helped Senegal rise to the top of Africa.
Cissé, being Senegal’s head coach, established a rare continuity between the national teams. His tenure has helped him establish an established style of play. He has traditionally played in very dynamic formations like 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1, where you can not only be solid and compact in defense, but also very aggressive in attack.
Key features of his tactic include a unique striker, someone who is a force in the box. Boulaye Dia de Salernitana has filled this place up recently, and for good reason. Of the 45 goals of his career, only one has come from outside the area (20 meters from the goal). Past forwards like M’Baye Niang and Famara Diedhou have been too inconsistent, so Dia brings a reliability Cissé appreciates.
He loves to play in back four positions, which means he can stick with two main centre-backs. Koulibaly has been one of Cissé’s favorites for a long time, but he uses a multitude of players in the second position. Leipzig’s Abdou Diallo has been a mainstay in the starting line-up recently, but he also uses the likes of Olympiacos’ Pape Abou Cissé.
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Managing a national team is an endless round of questions, and Cissé can attest to that. He has changed rosters based on opponents, fitness and form. His refusal to keep the same lineup in all games is evident.
He currently likes the midfield core of Idrissa Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Cheikhou Kouyate and Pape Sarr, but will rarely use them all at once. It’s a big reason why Senegal fell apart against England; Kouyate was injured and Gueye was suspended.
The great part about Senegal is their attacking depth. Bamba Dieng is a flexible attacker for Senegal with Aliou Cissé playing multiple positions, and Iliman Ndiaye emerging as a dangerous attacking midfielder. Ismaila Sarr and Krepin Diatta, heavily used during the World Cup, were dangerous on the wings and the main reason Senegal got this far.
Cissé rotates these players throughout different matches, which has become increasingly important as injuries, suspensions, and poor games come into play.
Take the home-and-away game against Egypt. They changed from 4-1-4-1 in the first leg to 4-2-3-1 in the second leg and changed many key players.
He traded a lot of defensive players in the match. After average performances in the first leg, he benched Famara Diedhou, Cheikhou Kouyate and Diallo for Boulaye Dia, Youssouf Sabaly, Pape Abou Cissé. His bets paid off very well like all those players and helped Senegal beat Egypt.
Whats Next?
After the crushing 3-0 loss to England, Senegal’s players have a break from the demanding international season. They play Mozambique twice in March 2023 at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where two wins would ensure qualification for the tournament hosted by the Ivory Coast.
Aliou Cissé, the mastermind behind Senegal’s success, will likely oversee both games. After all he’s done, firing him would be ignoring his past triumphs.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Pro Shots
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