RIGHT then, gather ’round for a delicious slice of footballing irony: the continent that was once told it needed “European expertise” to win its own tournament has just served up four semi-finalists all managed by – wait for it – Africans. Shocking, isn’t it? Well, not really. Not anymore.
AFCON 2025 has guaranteed us a fourth consecutive homegrown champion, and honestly, at this point, we should probably just make it official policy. Why mess with a winning formula?
The pattern is clearer than a Casablanca sky in summer: Djamel Belmadi’s Algeria in 2019, Aliou Cissé’s Senegal breakthrough in 2021, and Émerse Fae’s Côte d’Ivoire stunner in 2023. Three tournaments, three African managers, three trophies staying firmly in the family. Now it’s up to Morocco’s Walid Regragui, Egypt’s Hossam Hassan, Senegal’s Pape Thiaw, and Mali’s Eric Chelle (currently moonlighting with Nigeria) to keep the winning streak alive and the continental coaching cartel thriving.
The numbers? Chef’s kiss. Fifteen of the 24 squads rolled into AFCON 2025 with African managers at the helm, eleven sailed past the group stages, and these homegrown heroes have bagged a whopping 75% of all victories so far. But forget the stats for a moment—what we’re witnessing is something far juicier: cohesion, cultural fluency, and that special sauce only someone who truly gets it can bring to the dressing room.
From the Atlas Mountains to the banks of the Nile, from Dakar to Lagos, these tactical maestros are cooking up a storm. They’re not just moving pieces around a chessboard; they’re reading minds, lifting spirits, and turning tactical screws with the kind of intimate knowledge that only comes from living and breathing African football.
And speaking of legends, let’s talk about Hossam Hassan for a hot second. Should Egypt’s Pharaohs conquer all before them, Hassan would waltz into the most exclusive club in African football – joining Mahmoud El-Gohary and Stephen Keshi as the only mortals to win AFCON both as a player and as a coach. No pressure, Hossam, but immortality is just four matches away.
As the final four prepare for battle, one delicious truth emerges: African coaches aren’t just at the table =- they own the restaurant. Whoever hoists that glittering trophy will be celebrating not just national glory but the continuation of a revolution that’s rewriting the narrative of African football. The message? Crystal clear. When it comes to winning AFCON, there’s no place like home.
Game on, tacticians. The continent is watching—and it’s loving every minute.
