The tacticians who carry Africa’s hopes
THE 2022 Fifa World Cup tournament is set to take centre stage as teams from around the globe touch down in Qatar carrying the hopes and dreams of their respective nations.
The five countries tasked with unifying Africa under one purpose at the global showpiece are Afcon Champions Senegal and Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia and Ghana.
For the first time on the World Cup stage, all the African sides will be led by coaches from their respective countries.
Here, Smiso Msomi discusses the five coaches leading the African charge in Qatar.
Rigobert Song: Cameroon
The former Indomitable Lion made his name in the junior ranks of the national team before amassing 137 senior caps that spanned four World Cups.
Rigobert Song was 17 when he played in his first World Cup at US ’94, and participated in three additional editions in 1998, 2002 and 2010.
He is amongst a prestigious club of Cameroonians, which also feature Jacques Songo’o and Samuel Eto’o, who have graced the game’s flagship event on four occasions.
Since then, he has turned to management and will lead the highquality Cameroon side to his first World Cup as head coach.
Aliou Cisse: Senegal
The 2002 captain of the famous Lions of Teranga that shocked the world in their first World Cup, will return to the global stage for the third time.
It will be Cisse’s second as a manager.
He is part of a new breed of former national team players turned international coaches that have been entrusted with leading their countries to glory.
He was the first Senegal captain to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final in 2002, and the first Senegal manager to win the same tournament in 2022.
The sky is the limit for Cisse and his charges.
Walid Regragui: Morocco
The 47-year-old mentor spent a huge chunk of his playing career in the French and Spanish top flight from the late ’90s into the Noughties before turning to management.
His first major role as a coach only came in 2012, however, as assistant coach to Rachid Taoussi for Morocco, and will now lead a ‘Golden Generation’ to what is expected to be a record-breaking run.
Otto Addo: Ghana
Although born in Hamburg, Germany, Addo turned down an opportunity to represent Die Mannschaft in the late ’90s for an opportunity to turn out for his country of origin and the Black Stars. Having been in the camps of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke in various technical posts, Addo joined Ghana in February as an assistant coach. Following the departure of Milovan Rajevac, he will now lead the side in Qatar.
Jalal Kadri: Tunisia
Kadri’s first involvement with the Eagles of Carthage came at youth level when he was coach of the under-20s in 2007. Following stints at various clubs across Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, he was recalled in June 2021 to assist then head coach Mondher Kebaier.
When Kebaier contracted Covid19, he took charge of the team at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and was promoted to the top job earlier this year.