Mali football team gets new coach after recent CAN exit

Mali’s football landscape is shifting gears as the national team bids farewell to Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet. The decision came right after his squad’s impressive run in the recent African Cup of Nations (CAN), where they reached the quarter-finals under his guidance.

The Aigles du Mali—the Mali national football team—advanced past the group stage with three draws, followed by a nail-biting extra-time victory over Tunisia in the Round of 16. Their journey ended against Senegal in a tight 0-1 loss in the quarter-finals.

According to official statements from both the Malian Football Federation and Saintfiet himself, the parting was conducted on positive terms. Earlier reports, including from Afrik-Foot, had hinted at unresolved salary issues raised by the coach. However, Saintfiet’s public appreciation of Federation President Mahazou Baba Cisset suggests those concerns have been resolved amicably.

Mali football: searching for a new head coach

Saintfiet’s departure wasn’t unexpected. In fact, Federation President Baba Cisset had already hinted at his intention to bring in a new head coach, outlining clear criteria for the role. The new coach is expected to be African and have prior experience leading a team to an African Cup of Nations final.

This narrows the search to a select group of highly qualified candidates, potentially including names like Senegal’s Aliou Cissé, Algeria’s Djamel Belmadi, and Morocco’s Walid Regragui. With their experience and track record, one of them may soon receive a call to take the reins of the Aigles du Mali.