27/06/2026
Seven African nations just did in one tournament what took the sport’s entire history for six to do.
Before 2026, only six African countries had ever made it past the group stage of a World Cup across 90 years of football.
This generation matched that number and went past it. In three weeks.
I think the coaches played a huge role
Of the seven African nations that made the knockouts, five were led by African-born coaches.
-Hossam Hassan — an Egyptian legend, guiding Egypt to their first ever World Cup win and first ever knockout stage.
-Emerse Faé — becoming the first local Ivorian coach to take Ivory Coast to a World Cup and then taking them through the group stage.
-Pape Thiaw — carrying Senegal’s identity forward after one of the continent’s greatest ever coaching tenures.
-Mohamed Ouahbi — building a Morocco side that still doesn’t lose.
-Pedro Leitão (Bubista ) with Cape Verde — a man who just held Spain and Uruguay in the same group.
These are not foreign blueprints imported and applied. These are African football minds, building African football systems, winning on the world’s biggest stage.
At the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, all four semi-finalists were coached by African managers.
These coaches are inspiring something in these players that goes beyond tactics.
It’s a different kind of motivation.
A reminder to play for the national flag. To give everything. To carry the shirt with pride, no matter where you were born or what you’ve been through.
When I look at this, I just see inspiration everywhere.
And I think that’s the part worth holding onto.
P.S : I’d like to use this moment to congratulate Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) for building their coaching licence pathway. In years to come, we will see even more African coaches leading at the highest level.