The Ivorian senior national team has named Emerse Fae as its permanent coach after he had a successful interim stint at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
When seasoned French coach Jean-Louis Gasset left during the competition, Fae took over as interim coach.
Fae’s leadership carried Ivory Coast through to the knockout stages despite their early difficulties in the group stage, where they benefited from favorable outcomes elsewhere.
Fae demonstrated his coaching prowess throughout his interim tenure by masterminding historic comebacks, which included a nail-biting win over Senegal in the round of 16, defeating Mali with 10 men in the quarterfinals, and winning a close 1-0 victory against DR Congo in the semifinals.
The final victory over Nigeria by Ivory Coast, who won their first AFCON title since 2015, was the apex of Fae’s accomplishment as an interim coach.
Idriss Diallo, the president of the Ivorian federation, announced the appointment on Monday, saying, “Emerse was until now interim coach and has just been confirmed today as a full coach.” This was made possible by his outstanding performance.
Fae’s main goals as the permanent coach are to defend the title and guarantee a spot in the 2025 AFCON competition. In addition, having missed the previous two competitions, he hopes to lead the side to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Supporters and analysts have praised Fae for his tactical know-how, leadership abilities, and capacity to inspire players. These attributes point to a bright future for Ivory Coast football under Fae’s direction.
