Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae has set his sights on defending the Africa Cup of Nations title and also securing 2026 World Cup qualification.
Fae led the Elephant to clinch the AFCON title on home turf early 2024, defeating Nigeria in the finals.
Speaking to Flashscore.com, Fae reiterated desire to defend the title in Morocco and also secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup tournament.
“Yes, it does add a bit more pressure because, as someone just starting their career, many people have high expectations. But I enjoy the challenge it brings,” Fae told Flashscore.
“I like challenges and I just want to show people that it was not an accident. It is the beginning of a big career and I have to show what I’m capable of.
“Qualifying for the next one (AFCON) was crucial for me because we won at home, and it’s important to be here in Morocco to defend the cup.
“It’s going to be a very tough competition because many teams have talented players and a real chance of winning. But I enjoy challenges, and I’m ready for it.
“I like it and I just want to be in Morocco quickly to play and try to win here because I was not supposed to win the last one as a coach but I managed to achieve it in just four games.
“And I think it’s important for my staff and me to prove that we can deliver from the start of the competition to the very end.”
Fae acknowledges that another World Cup miss would be unacceptable, stating that his team is fully prepared to be at their best in the upcoming fixtures.
He continued: “It’s important for our country because we missed the last two World Cups. Being in the next one is vital, especially with nine – possibly 10 – African teams participating in the tournament.
“It would be hard to accept the Ivory Coast not making it to the World Cup. This challenge is very important to me and has been on my mind since our last game against Chad in the AFCON qualifiers.
“We’re going to give it our all. We’re going to work extremely hard to be prepared for the match. Our goal is to win our next two games against Burundi and Gambia, maintain the top spot in the group, and increase our chances of qualifying for the World Cup.”
The young tactician was named Africa’s Best Coach at the recent CAF Awards held in Marrakech, Morocco, surpassing Sebastien Desabre and Hugo Broos.
