Aliou Cissé on the TSG’s role, African football and data

In this interview, Technical Study Group (TSG) member Aliou Cissé looks ahead to the FIFA Club World Cup™ and discusses his role, the power of data and the impact the new tournament will have on the development of players in Africa.

During his playing career, Cissé represented clubs in France and England, including Paris Saint-Germain and Birmingham City. At international level, the defensive midfielder captained his native Senegal to the final of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Lions of Teranga made history by finishing runners-up for the first time. 20 years later, as the head coach of his national team, Cissé went one better, guiding Senegal to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations title, fielding a side featuring Sadio Mané, Ismaïla Sarr and Édouard Mendy. He is currently embarking on a new project as the head coach of Libya.

Watch interview

Questions

00:25
What excites you most about being part of the TSG for the FIFA Club World Cup?

01:18
Many African national team players leave the continent during their careers. How important can the Club World Cup be for players who choose to stay?

02:13
What things will the TSG be looking out for in this tournament?

03:27
Morocco made history at the FIFA World Cup 2022. What are you expecting from CAF teams in this competition?

04:08
The TSG harness FIFA’s bespoke data for insight. What data interests you most, and how does it help analyse games?