Emerse Fae, the newly minted champion coach of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, joins a distinguished list as the 11th African tactician to guide their team to AFCON continental glory.
In a thrilling African showdown at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, the 40-year-old masterminded his team’s third continental title with a stunning comeback, securing a 2-1 victory over the Super Eagles of Nigeria on February 11.
According to PUNCH Online, Fae’s achievement places him alongside 10 other African coaches who have claimed victory in Africa’s premier tournament.
Taking over from sacked coach Jean-Louis Gasset midway through the tournament, Fae faced a challenging path. “The contracts of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant are terminated due to insufficient results,” the FIF had stated.
However, rallying from a precarious position as one of the third-best-placed teams in the group stages, Fae’s team displayed resilience and surged to a remarkable turnaround, ultimately seizing the championship.
Since the inception of the competition in 1957, a total of 11 African coaches have ascended to the title, as reported by CAF Online. This number is poised to grow in upcoming editions, reflecting the increasing presence of talented African tacticians emerging from across the continent, both male and female.
Here’s the comprehensive list of African coaches who have triumphed in AFCON since its inaugural edition:
- Sudan 1957: Mourad Fahmy (Egypt)
- Ghana 1963: Charles Gyamfi (Ghana)
- Tunisia 1965: Charles Gyamfi (Ghana)
- Ghana 1978: Fred Osam Doudu (Ghana)
- Libya 1982: Charles Gyamfi (Ghana)
- Algeria 1990: Abdelhamid Kermali (Algeria)
- Senegal 1992: Martial Yeo (Cote d’Ivoire)
- South Africa 1996: Clive Barker (South Africa)
- Burkina Faso 1998: Mohamed Al Gohari (Egypt)
- Egypt 2006: Hassan Shehata (Egypt)
- Ghana 2008: Hassan Shehata (Egypt)
- Angola 2010: Hassan Shehata (Egypt)
- South Africa 2013: Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
- Egypt 2019: Djamel Belmadi (Algeria)
- Cameroon 2021: Aliou Cisse (Senegal)
- Cote d’Ivoire 2023: Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)
PUNCH Online also notes that Morocco is set to host the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025. Additionally, Fae received the Best Coach award at the tournament’s closing ceremony.