Table of Contents
- Aliou Cisse took over as Libya’s Mediterranean Knights head coach after being fired by Senegal
- Libya has never qualified for AFCON since 2012 and he plans to change that
- He has a two-year deal with the Libyan Football Federation
Senegalese coach Aliou Cisse is the new messiah for Libyan football since his appointment as Mediterranean Knights head coach.
Cisse was named the head coach of Libya’s national team in March 2025 after his unceremonious exit from Senegal’s Teranga Lions.
The Senegalese led Senegal to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title but left in 2024 following a directive by the sports ministry.
He was then hired as the Mediterranean Knights coach five months after his exit from his home team. His entry to the Libyan football scene renewed hope of better performance by the Knights.
Aliou Cisse Big Plans for Mediterranean Knights
The 49-year-old’s plan for the Mediterranean Knights is to take the team to the continental championships. He said that he chose to work in Libya because the Libyan Football Federation expressed a lot of confidence in his abilities.
The federation presented its idea, and it synced with his. They both share a vision of elevating the team from its current 31st position in African football standings and 117th globally.
Libyan national football team coach Aliou Cisse. The Senegalese has big plans for the Mediterranean Knights in his two-year deal with Libya. Photo/Getty/africanews
Aliou Cisse spent a decade with the Teranga Lions and led them to AFCON victory in 2019 and 2021. He believes he did his best but was hounded out of office unceremoniously.
Cisse feels that he still has a lot to offer and Libya deserves to have him. Libya last qualified for AFCON in 2012, but he will change that.
He stated that the Mediterranean Knights have talented players who lack experience and proper game management.
His biggest task is instilling a sense of confidence and discipline to raise Libya’s football.
“This country is full of talent and potential. My job is to put Libyan football in the place it deserves. I am a man of a project, a builder of generations. In Senegal I had a fruitful 10-year project. I’m full of passion and confidence that I will repeat the same thing here,” he told BBC in an interview.
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Aliou Cisse trained his focus on the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after making remarkable progress in Group D.
The Knights recently secured a 2-1 victory over Mauritius, maintaining their position at the top of the group. Libya is aiming to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time.
Libyan coach Aliou Cisse. Photo/La Nouvelle Tribune
He keeps hope alive, stating that nothing is impossible in the football world. Cisse is also aware that having a balanced team will open more opportunities for the team.
Having a balanced team means he will have local players join his squad and Libyans playing abroad.
Cisse dismissed rumours that he is not keen on having local players join his squad. He asserted that he is building the team from the base, which is only with domestic players.
Once he identifies locally based players, he will contact Libyans playing football abroad to reinforce the team.
Libya has a dozen players in Germany, Spain and Belgium.
Aliou Cisse Libya Salary
The Senegalese has a monthly pay of $85,237 (€76,000). This is nearly double what Senegal was paying him, $51,586 ((€46,000) per month.
He is among the best-paid African coaches in his two-year contract with Libya. However, he stated that he did not choose to lead the Mediterranean Knights because of the lucrative pay but to make history in Libya.
