When Emerse Faé guided Cote d’Ivoire to 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations glory on home soil last year, the achievement was more than just a footballing triumph. It was a sign of a shifting tide.
For the third straight TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, an African coach led his country to continental success. Faé followed in the footsteps of Aliou Cissé, who won with Senegal in 2022, and Djamel Belmadi, who steered Algeria to victory in 2019.
The dominance of African coaches at the highest level is no longer a coincidence; it is a growing trend. Out of 54 African national teams, about 31 are currently coached by African managers, marking a dramatic shift from the past when European tacticians dominated the dugouts.
A Break from the Past
For decades, African football was shaped by foreign coaches, primarily from Europe. National federations believed that success required experienced foreign managers, often from France, Germany, Portugal, or the Netherlands. African coaches were seen as assistants, their roles limited to backroom duties.
However, the last decade has seen a remarkable transformation. The new wave of African coaches is not just filling vacancies–they are winning.
Walid Regragui made history by guiding Morocco to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals, the first African coach and African national team to achieve such a feat.
“The success of local coaches is a sign that African football has matured,” Regragui said after Morocco’s heroic World Cup run. “We have knowledge, experience, and the ability to lead our teams to victory.”
Why African Federations Are Now Choosing Local Coaches
Apart from the obvious financial considerations–African coaches generally earn less than their European counterparts–federations are realizing that local managers bring something foreign coaches often lack: a deep connection to the culture, players, and national identity.
“They understand the players and the mentality,” said Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation. “An African coach knows what it means to wear the shirt and fight for the flag. That is priceless.”
Another crucial factor is credibility. Many of these new-generation African coaches played at the highest level in Europe before transitioning to management.
Aliou Cissé captained Senegal at the 2002 World Cup, Emerse Faé played in Ligue 1 and the Premier League, and Djamel Belmadi had an impressive career in France and England.
That experience has helped them earn respect in the dressing room. “When your coach has played in the Champions League or at a World Cup, you listen to him,” said Sadio Mané, who won AFCON 2022 under Cissé. “You know he has been in your shoes.”
African Coaches Leading the Charge
Today, many of Africa’s top footballing nations have embraced local leadership. Pape Thiaw has replaced Aliou Cissé as Senegal’s head coach. Mohamed Kallon, a former Inter Milan player, now leads Sierra Leone. Malian Eric Chelle is in charge of Nigeria, a footballing giant that traditionally looked to foreign coaches.
South African legend Benni McCarthy was recently appointed the coach of Kenya and his compatriot Morena Ramoreboli is in charge of the Botswana national team while Cisse has taken the job of the Libya senior national team coach.
Former Ghana captain James Kwesi Appiah is in charge of Sudan while Otto Addo, the former Black Stars winger is in charge of his own national team.
Collin Benjamin of Namibia, Togolese Dare Nibombe, Egypt legend Hossam Hassan, Tunisia’s Sami Trabelsi and Leslie Notsi of Lesotho are all head coaches of their resptive national team while former Morocco goalkeeper Badou Ezaki is the coach of Niger.
Even nations that once relied exclusively on European tacticians, such as Cameroon, are now trusting local talent. Marc Brys’ appointment in Cameroon is an exception rather than the rule.
The Future: A New Standard for African Football?
The success of African coaches is pushing federations to rethink their approach. With Africa now having nine guaranteed spots at the expanded 2026 World Cup, the continent’s biggest teams are looking for stability.
“For years, African teams would change coaches before every tournament, often bringing in a foreign name with little knowledge of the squad,” said Kalusha Bwalya, former Zambian FA president.
“That is changing. Now, teams are investing in long-term projects with local coaches.”
It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue in the long term. European coaches will always be an option, particularly for teams with financial resources.
However, the days of African federations automatically assuming a European coach is better are fading.
As Cote d’Ivoire’s Emerse Faé, fresh from winning TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2023, put it: “We played in Europe, we learned there, but we belong to Africa. This is our time.”
