Football

AFCON 2023: Battle for glory and pride as Ivory Coast takes on Nigeria in final

Nigeria's players celebrate the victory at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 semi-final football match between Nigeria and South Africa at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)

By Rama Mohammed | Sunday, February 11, 2024

The winner takes home Ksh 1 Billion with the first runners up earning close to Ksh 700 Million

In the lead-up to the highly-anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, coaches Jose Peseiro of Nigeria and Emerse Fae of Ivory Coast have shared their thoughts and preparations for the forthcoming clash.

Nigeria's head coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed optimism regarding his team's chances in the AFCON final, emphasizing the magnitude of the upcoming match. Peseiro lauded his squad's resilience and dedication, describing their journey to the final as "amazing and fantastic."

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"It will be a big final game with a good atmosphere - I think a full stadium. Both teams want to win. We are happy to reach the final – my boys are doing an amazing and fantastic job and have been happy from the onset to now. We want to finish on a high by winning the AFCON," said Peseiro.

Addressing earlier criticism and now basking in the joy of guiding Nigeria to the final, Peseiro reflected on the emotional rollercoaster of the tournament.

“This is my first AFCON and I am excited to be in the final. This is going to be a very difficult game but all in all it has been a great learning experience for me. Notions in Africa are very important, the emotions in the national team are very high – when you win the excitement is marvelous, when you lose, t is tough. I have worked in three continents – Asia, America and now in Africa and with my experience, I think it has been easier for me to take it all in. My focus is just to win it for the Nigerian people.”

We. Are. Ready.
Send us your wishes#soarsupereagles #letsdoitagain #ourafcon #afcon2023 #africanfootball pic.twitter.com/m1T2yXah54
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) February 10, 2024

Emerse Fae, leading Ivory Coast into the AFCON final, echoed Peseiro's sentiments, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the AFCON final. Fae emphasized his team's preparedness and unity, emphasizing the significance of every player's contribution to their journey.

"God gave us this great opportunity to be in the final. We will fight for the people of Ivory Coast. Psychologically speaking we are on a level playing field – we started slowly but picked up and have now amassed confidence. Nigeria too have fought hard throughout to be where they are but finals are won on small details, we just hope to start strongly and destabilize them,” he said,

“We have the same mindset even for the final - it is a team of 27 players, 11 will be on the pitch at any given time with rest supporting them, it is the togetherness that has brought us this far.” He added.

As Nigeria and Ivory Coast prepare to battle for continental supremacy, the stage is set for an enthralling conclusion to the AFCON tournament.