CAN Maroc 2025 : l’entraîneur du Mali tacle la FIFA
FIFA's decision to allow European clubs to keep African players until December 15th continues to cause resentment. In Mali, anger escalated after the 1-1 draw against Zambia on Monday, in the Eagles' opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. At the post-match press conference, coach Tom Saintfiet didn't mince words in his criticism of the world governing body.
The Belgian coach believes that FIFA is not doing enough to protect the Africa Cup of Nations, which he considers to be relegated to a secondary role. "FIFA decided that players must play their last match six or seven days before a major tournament. As a result, two of my players were injured in their last club match," he lamented on Canal+ Sport Afrique, referring to Sikou Niakaté and Hamari Traoré.
Deprived of his key players for several weeks, Saintfiet is worried about their availability for the rest of the competition. "They are unavailable and I don't know if they will be able to play the second match. Perhaps, if we go far in the tournament, they will be able to return," he added bitterly.
Beyond player management, the Malian coach also denounced the lack of consideration given to African football. "Since 1957, Africa has hosted the AFCON every two years. Now, we're told it will be played every four years. That's not right. Africa needs to be respected," he declared.
A forceful outburst that comes a few days after the official announcement by CAF, confirming that the Africa Cup of Nations will switch to a four-year cycle starting with the 2028 edition.
Commentaires (5)
Participer à la Discussion
Règles de la communauté :
💡 Astuce : Utilisez des emojis depuis votre téléphone ou le module emoji ci-dessous. Cliquez sur GIF pour ajouter un GIF animé. Collez un lien X/Twitter ou TikTok pour l'afficher automatiquement.