France football mourns Metsu

Bruno Metsu, the Frenchman who led Senegal to the last eight in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, has passed away at the age of 59 following a long battle with cancer.

He spent the majority of his playing career in his homeland, including a long spell with USL Dunkerque and stints at Valenciennes FC, LOSC Lille and OGC Nice, and also had four years in Belgium at RSC Anderlecht. Metsu moved into coaching in the late 1980s, taking charge of a number of French clubs including both LOSC and Valenciennes, before assuming control of the Guinea national team in 2000.

Metsu moved on to Senegal later the same year, taking them to the Africa Cup of Nations final in 2002 where they lost to Cameroon on penalties, before claiming an unexpected success against holders France in the first game of the World Cup that June. Senegal reached the quarter-finals, losing to Turkey in extra time. Metsu spent the next decade working in the Middle East, winning the AFC Champions League with al-Ain FC in 2003 and later having spells in charge of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.