The Mali national football team is entering a new chapter. Tom Saintfiet, the Belgian coach who took charge in August 2024, is no longer at the helm. This decision was officially confirmed by the Malian Football Federation in an announcement made late Tuesday evening.
Under Saintfiet’s leadership, the Mali national team, known as the Eagles, reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) with a pragmatic approach. The team secured three draws in the group stage and advanced past Tunisia in the round of 16 via a thrilling extra-time victory. Their journey ended narrowly against Senegal in the quarter-finals, with a 0-1 defeat.
According to statements from both the Malian Football Federation and Tom Saintfiet himself, the separation was amicable. While Afrik-Foot had previously reported unpaid wages as a point of contention, the Belgian coach’s public appreciation for Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset suggests these issues have been resolved.
next steps for Mali football team
The departure of Tom Saintfiet comes as little surprise, given that Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset had previously indicated his intention to appoint a new coach, outlining specific criteria for the role.
The search is focused on an African coach with prior experience in leading a team to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. This narrows the candidate pool to notable names such as Aliou Cissé (Senegal), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria), and Walid Regragui (Morocco). Their phones may already be ringing with potential opportunities.
