Senegalese football legend Aliou Cisse has been named the new coach of the Libya National team.

His appointment follows the departure of Nasser Al-Hadhiri, who had been in charge of the north African outfit, nicknamed the Mediterranean Knights since September 2024.

Cisse is widely celebrated and regarded as one of Africa's top coaches and winner of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Senegal in 2022.

His signing represents a serious coup for Libya who are aiming to become a football powerhouse over the next 4 years.

"We welcome the best coach in Africa," a statement on the Libya Football Federation's Facebook page said. Libya has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and has only been at the AFCON tournament on three occasions, 1982, 2006 and 2012.

Cisse will be in charge until 2027.

The brief statement failed to reveal details such as which staff would be supporting the former Senegalese midfielder; who featured for Senegal in their famous 2002 World Cup run to the quarter finals. Neither did the statement reveal any financial agreements.

Cisse, 48, will be officially presented to the media on 13 March in Tripoli.

Libya did not qualify for the upcoming edition of AFCON, which is set to take place in Morocco this year.

They However currently sit second in their World Cup qualifying group B, behind leaders Cameroon who have eight points.

The Libyans and Cape Verde follow with seven points each while Angola, who they take on later this month have six.