Four African coaches will lead the semifinals at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), challenging the common belief that they are rarely given chances on their own continent.
Pape Bouna Thiaw will lead Senegal against Egypt, coached by their renowned former striker Hossam Hassan, in the first semifinal in Tangiers on Wednesday. This match will be followed by hosts Morocco, under the guidance of Walid Regragui, facing Nigeria, whose bench includes former Mali international Eric Chelle.
The last occasion when all four semifinal teams were managed by African coaches was in 1965. Historically, African coaches have expressed concerns about being overlooked for national team positions in favor of European or South American counterparts with less impressive credentials.
“There have often been situations where African coaches have not been able to secure positions because federations and clubs prefer Europeans, but that seems to be changing,” remarked former Ghana international Kwesi Appiah, who led Sudan to a last-16 finish. Appiah was one of three African coaches managing a team of a different nationality at the finals in Morocco, marking a new trend for the tournament.
“I think there is a responsibility too for the African coaches to prove their worth with hard work,” Appiah told Reuters.
For the third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), African coaches have outnumbered their foreign counterparts. In Morocco, there are 14 African managers, compared to nine from Europe and one from Argentina.
Historically, foreign coaches have dominated the tournament, with only six of the first 32 editions featuring a majority of local coaches. While many European coaches have initiated their careers in Africa, few have transitioned to high-profile positions in their home countries.
Notably, Roger Lemerre managed in Tunisia before leading France to victory in the 2000 European Championship. Similarly, Philippe Troussier, after coaching in five African nations and Japan, had a brief and unsuccessful tenure at Olympique de Marseille.
In terms of success, African coaches have a slight edge, having secured 18 Afcon titles compared to 16 won by teams led by foreign coaches. The number of African coaches is set to increase further following Sunday’s final.
African Football Associations must look within and hire more African coaches who understand the terrain, football philosophy, and culture of the country.
