Football

Ivory Coast reward Fae after unlikely AFCON triumph

Les Elephants interim coach Emerse Fae. (Photo: CAF)

By Rama Mohammed | Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Fae, who was handling the Ivory Coast national team on temporary basis, has now been confirmed as the permanent head coach of the AFCON 2023 winners

Emerse Fae was on Monday rewarded for guiding Ivory Coast to the African Cup of Nations title as interim coach by being given the job full time.

"Emerse was until now interim coach and has just been confirmed today as full coach," the Ivoirian federation boss Idriss Diallo said.

Keep reading

The Elephants were facing elimination when they fired veteran French coach Jean-Louis Gasset in January after winning just one of their three group games.

The next day, results fell the hosts' way and they squeezed through as the last of the four best third-placed teams. Fae, a former Ivorian international who had never coached before, took over.

Emerse Faé has been named as the new head coach of Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 after he guided the Elephants to the AFCON 2023 title on interim basis. pic.twitter.com/aRAEmrPzD1
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) February 19, 2024

Fae oversaw an incredible turnaround.

In the last 16, the Ivorians came from behind to beat holders Senegal on penalties. Then, playing much of the match with 10 men, they came from behind to beat Mali in extra time in the quarter-finals.

After beating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in the last four, they came from behind once more to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final and lift the trophy.