Coaching : Growing Confidence On Home Talents

One of the key peculiarities of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is the strong presence of home coaches. Of the 24 participating teams, about 11 are led by local managers, while about three others are handled by African coaches from different countries on the continent. This marks a clear break from the early days of the AFCON, when foreign expatriates dominated the touchline. As time passes, African federations are placing more trust in African coaches and the results are following. The last three AFCON titles were all won with Africans on the bench: Djamel Belmadi guided Algeria to the 2019 crown, Aliou Cissé led Senegal to glory in 2021, and Emerse Faé was in charge when Côte d’Ivoire lifted the 2023 trophy on home soil.
Home coaches at the 2025 AFCON are expected to build on this momentum. In Group F, for example, all four teams are led by local managers: Cameroon with David Pagou, Gabon with Thierry Mouyouma, Côte d’Ivoire with Emerse Faé, and Mozambique with Chiquinho Conde. It promises to be a battle of strong personalities who not only understand the tactical demands of modern football but also carry the hopes and emotions of their nations.
Group E also showcases this trend. Juan Micha leads Equatorial Guinea, while Brama Traoré is in charge of Burkina Faso. Similar stories are spread across the other groups, underlining how home coaches are inc...