By McGeorge Mbare
The battle for continental supremacy in the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 continues, with four local African coaches just 90 minutes away from making history, guaranteeing another African coach a spot in the history archives.
In the last 20 years where only two non-African coaches have won the title, namely Herve Renard and Hugo Broos, the chapter looks set to continue as four local coaches line up in the AFCON2025 semi-finals namely Walid Regragui (Morocco), Eric Chelle (Nigeria), Pape Thiaw (Senegal), and Hossam Hassan (Egypt), ready to cement African coaches’ names in the archives.
Most the winning African teams were coached by their own nationals for example Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 championships were led by the Egyptian Hassan Shehata, Nigeria in 2013 was led by Nigerian Stephen Keshi, Algeria in 2019 was led by Djamel Belmadi, Aliou Cisse with Senegal in 2021, and Ivory Coast in 2023 was led by Ivorian Emerse Fae.
Meanwhile, one of the most ironic things about the four semi-finalists is that the last five winners of the CAF Men’s Player of the Year Award will be battling against each other at this tournament
The 2017 and 2018 winner, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, will battle against the 2019 and 2022 winner, Senegal’s Sadio Mane. The duo were once teammates at English Premier League side Liverpool.
The 2025 reigning CAF Best Player, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, will take on the 2023 winner, Victor Osimhen and 2024 winner Adamola Lookman of Nigeria, in the semi-final.
These five players are indeed big names in African football, with Salah and Mane having a past as Liverpool teammates. The semi finals are shaping up to be exciting.