Behind the Scenes of the National Team: How Patrick Vieira Is Pushing Kalidou Koulibaly Towards Retirement

The Senegal national team, under coach Patrick Vieira, earned four points in the first two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, with a draw against Mozambique and a win over Ethiopia. Vieira, emphasizing youth, has left former captain and key defender Kalidou Koulibaly on the bench for these matches, despite his previous performances. Koulibaly, who faced difficulties after an injury at the Morocco CAN, is not in Vieira's current plans, who has chosen to start younger defenders like Sadibou Sané and Lamine Sy.