Mali football team selects new coach after can exit

Mali’s football landscape is undergoing a significant shift as the national team bids farewell to head coach Tom Saintfiet. The Belgian tactician, who took charge in August 2024, has seen his tenure come to an end, as confirmed by the Mali Football Federation.

Saintfiet guided the Aigles du Mali (Eagles of Mali) to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), showcasing a pragmatic and disciplined style of play. The team navigated the group stage with three draws before securing a dramatic extra-time victory over Tunisia in the Round of 16. Their journey concluded with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the quarter-finals.

Relations between Saintfiet and the Mali Football Federation appear cordial, despite earlier reports of unpaid wages. The Belgian coach’s public appreciation for Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset suggests that any financial disputes have been resolved.

Mali football team searches for a new head coach

Tom Saintfiet’s departure was not unexpected, as Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset had previously indicated plans to appoint a new national team coach. The search criteria are clear: the new tactician must be African and have prior experience leading a team to an African Cup of Nations final.

This stringent requirement narrows the pool of potential candidates to a select few, including:

• Aliou Cissé (Senegal) – former Senegal national team manager
• Djamel Belmadi (Algeria) – two-time African Cup of Nations winner as both player and coach
• Walid Regragui (Morocco) – current Morocco coach and CAN 2022 winner

With these names likely on the radar of Mali’s decision-makers, the race to lead the Aigles du Mali is intensifying.