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Ed Dove
Football-obsessed Mali has a compelling argument for being Africa’s greatest footballing nation to never win the Africa Cup of Nations throughout its 69-year history. Head coach Tom Saintfiet is hopeful that his previous experiences with Gambia will guide the Eagles to their long-awaited AFCON victory.
The West African team advanced from Group A, finishing as runners-up to hosts Morocco. They secured three points in the opening round, setting the stage for a Last 16 match against Tunisia in Casablanca on Saturday.
Despite reaching the semifinals six times and producing two former African Footballer of the Year winners, Mali has yet to secure the prestigious title. Can Belgian coach Saintfiet create a historic legacy with the Eagles in the upcoming weeks?
“It’s a fascinating statement: ‘the strongest football nation in Africa that has never won the AFCON’,” Saintfiet commented to ESPN. “Considering that Ethiopia, Congo-Brazzaville, and Zambia have all claimed the title, that could very well be true.”
“Mali is a country that truly loves football and has a rich history. They finished second in 1972 and have made it to the semifinals five additional times, the last two being in 2012 and 2013. They consistently qualify for AFCON, showcasing plenty of ambition with talented players excelling at the highest levels. Football is part of Mali’s identity.”
Although they haven’t won the senior AFCON tournament, Mali is a formidable force in youth football, reaching the semifinals of both the U-17 and U-20 World Cups five times and clinching the African title twice at the U-17 Nations Cup.
Saintfiet expressed confidence that the strong youth development within Mali would soon translate to success at the senior level. “There’s impressive growth in clubs and academies, where dedicated individuals know how to nurture top talent,” he explained. “Our players typically emerge from a couple of key academies, which provides us an edge.”
“Malian footballers display skill, confidence, and excellent ball control, which is evident in their style of play.”
The seasoned 52-year-old coach has extensive experience in AFCON, having managed teams in Malawi, Togo, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Zimbabwe across 25 different roles on multiple continents.
He is particularly esteemed for his work with Gambia, which achieved their first-ever AFCON qualification in 2021. Under his guidance, Gambia advanced to the Last 16, pulling off an impressive victory over Tunisia before facing a loss to the hosts, Cameroon, in the quarterfinals.
Saintfiet believes his experience with the Scorpions, who made significant strides in the FIFA Rankings, could aid Mali as they aim for historic success in Morocco.
“I don’t see a vast difference between Gambia and Mali,” he reflected. “During my time with Gambia, we set high ambitions—we aimed to be champions. People in Gambia shared similar expectations. Mali, however, has greater recognition as a respected African nation, but in terms of performance, the gap is minimal.”
During the group stage, Mali had a mixed bag of results, drawing with Zambia and Morocco—where they arguably deserved more—before a scoreless draw with Comoros secured their spot in the knockout stages with just three points.
Having reached the quarterfinals in 2024 under Eric Chelle, a loss against Tunisia in the Last 16 would be seen as a setback for Saintfiet.
“We have clear goals that we want to achieve,” he stated determinedly. “I represent the colors of Mali—the green, yellow, and red—and we are ambitious.
“My experience with Gambia has prepared me better for tournaments like this, but I perceive no difference in the challenges posed by Gambia and Mali.”
With a history already etched in AFCON lore, it’s plausible Saintfiet could repeat those accomplishments with Mali, but they will need to step up their game to triumph over a Tunisia side striving to bounce back after a lackluster group performance.
“Mali is a formidable team with players of exceptional technical and physical abilities,” Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi expressed in a pre-match press conference. “This match will hinge on minute details and mistakes, with limited opportunities arising.
“Capitalizing on those opportunities is crucial,” he added. “We’re aiming for a more consistent performance.”