Mali has a clear objective in the 12th U20 CAN: to win the Orange U-20 CAN. In an interview with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) website, the coach of the Malian Juniors, Moussa Keita, expressed his ambition without hesitation, stating, “Why not the title! When you take part in such an event, you have to think big and not be ashamed to show your colors from the start. Others think about it but prefer not to say it.”
To prepare for the tournament, the Malian team spent ten days in Morocco, aiming to live up to its ambitions. Coach Keita acknowledges that Mali has performed well in recent years, scoring points, although they fell short of winning the crown. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic, stating, “One day will come (…). We are here to win the Orange U-20 CAN; that’s the goal we have set for ourselves. We are ready to fight.”
Keita emphasizes the readiness of the team for a formidable tournament, expressing respect for Nigeria, the defending champion, as well as the other two less talked about teams, Gabon and DR Congo. The journey for the Junior Aiglons begins with a match against Nigeria, and the coach is confident about their prospects
