Former France captain Patrick Vieira has been named as the new coach of Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, following the dismissal of Frederic Antonetti. Vieira, 47, has signed a three-year contract with the club, which recently finished 15th in Ligue 1, narrowly avoiding relegation.
Club president and former France midfielder Marc Keller stated, “I welcome Patrick Vieira, whom I know from the French national team; I am very happy to welcome him to Strasbourg. He corresponds to the profile we were looking for: a manager with international experience, and who also has a good knowledge of Ligue 1 and its young players.”
The club’s new ownership, the BlueCo consortium, led by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and US-based Clearlake Capital, likely played a role in securing Vieira’s appointment. The consortium bought a majority stake in the club on June 22.
Vieira had a distinguished career as a midfielder, representing France 107 times, winning the World Cup in 1998 and the Euros in 2000, and playing for clubs such as AC Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Inter, and Manchester City. His coaching career started in Manchester City, followed by stints at New York City FC, Nice, and Crystal Palace.
Vieira expressed his excitement about his new role, acknowledging the significance of Strasbourg to its region and the passion it invokes in its fans. Vieira has been without a club since his dismissal from Crystal Palace in March following a 12-game winless streak.
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