Libya's appointment of former Senegal national team head coach Aliou Cisse was met with mixed feelings across the continent. Many Libyans did not e
Libya’s appointment of former Senegal national team head coach Aliou Cisse was met with mixed feelings across the continent.
Many Libyans did not expect the Senegalese to be appointed as the head coach as they expected an European to lead the national team.
Cisse’s appointment is a great news for Sub Saharan Africa because one of their recent top coaches is getting a top job in North Africa.
Aliou Cisse has a rich Resume after leading Senegal to two World Cups (2018, 2022) and also led them to their first and only AFCON title in 2021 in almost a decade stay with the Lions of Terranga.
Libya officially confirmed Aliou Cisse as the new coach for the national team on Tuesday 11th March 2025 in a bumper deal which will make the former Senegalese footballer the second highest international paid coach on the continent.
Aliou Cisse will earn €76,000 (appr $98 000) monthly in the two-year deal.
This makes him the second highest-paid coach in Africa, behind Algeria’s Vladimir Petković, who earns €135,000 (about $174 000).
The Libyan media is divided due to the huge amount the AFCON winning coach is receiving. A lot is expected from him as he is tasked to help bring the nation back to the top.
The Mediterranean Knights has not qualified for AFCON since 2012 in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
In the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Libya sits in second place with a point behind leaders Cameroon and have a chance to steal the sole slot in Group D.
Aliou Cisse’s Libya will host Angola and travel to Cameroon in rounds 5 and 6 of the qualifiers in the upcoming international break.
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