World Cup: Cisse in the spotlight as Senegal eye Qatar 2022 spot

Since becoming the Senegalese national team head coach seven years ago, Aliou Cisse has been under intense pressure [Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters]

For Aliou Cisse, Senegal’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title earlier this year offered only a brief respite.

Since taking over as the national team’s head coach seven years ago, the 45-year-old has lived under almost suffocating pressure, tasked at every turn with returning the national team to the same heights as the 2002 team – which he captained.