The Mali national football team enters a fresh chapter as Tom Saintfiet is no longer the head coach. The announcement came from the Malian Football Federation following their Tuesday evening meeting.
Since his arrival in August 2024, the Belgian tactician led the Aigles du Mali to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with a pragmatic approach: three draws in the group stage, followed by a narrow victory over Tunisia in the round of 16 via extra time. Their journey ended with a 0-1 defeat against Senegal in the quarter-finals.
Both the Malian Football Federation and Tom Saintfiet have emphasized that the parting of ways was amicable. Earlier reports suggested unpaid wages, as mentioned by Afrik-Foot, but the Belgian coach’s public appreciation for Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset implies that all issues have been resolved.
Next chapter for Mali’s football leadership
Tom Saintfiet’s exit aligns with statements from Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset, who had previously indicated a search for a new national team coach, outlining specific criteria.
The Malian Football Federation is reportedly seeking an African coach with prior experience in leading a team to an Africa Cup of Nations final. This narrows the potential candidates to a select group including Aliou Cissé (Senegal), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria), and Walid Regragui (Morocco). Their phones may already be ringing with potential offers.
