The Egyptian national team faced defeat against Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final, under the coaching leadership of Belgian coach Hugo Broos, Assisting him at that time was his compatriot, Sven Van den Broeck, who, since then, has gained valuable experience in Africa, coaching Zambia, Simba, Raja Casablanca, Wydad, and Chabab Belouizdad.
Van den Broeck reflects on his AFCON memories and shares insights into how Cameroon managed to triumph over Egypt in the 2017 final, despite initially trailing by one goal.
Unveiling AFCON Memories:
Van den Broeck delves into the profound positive emotions associated with winning such a championship.
“Winning a championship like this is indescribable; you can’t express the feeling in words,” he shared, emphasizing the personal and collective significance of the victory for the Cameroon team.
Half-Time Insights from the 2017 Final:
Regarding the halftime of the final against Egypt, Van den Broeck highlights the team’s improvement after the initial 30 minutes.
“After 30 minutes, we felt an improvement in the game.
We dominated and knew we were physically better than the Egyptian team, despite having two days of recovery compared to Egypt’s three,” he noted.
Despite the tough challenge of playing against Egypt, Van den Broeck admits that Mohamed Salah added an extra layer of difficulty.
“Playing against Egypt is always tough, and Mohamed Salah makes it even harder than usual,” he acknowledged.
During this period, Salah played for Roma, and Van den Broeck, having analyzed several matches, implemented a strategic plan to mitigate Salah’s threat.
“We had a plan to minimize his danger, and I believe things worked out well,” he stated.
Top Picks for AFCON 2023:
When asked about the favorites for AFCON 2023, Van den Broeck mentioned perennial contenders like Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, and a potential resurgence from Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
He particularly highlighted Morocco’s chances, given their impressive performance in the World Cup.
Top 5 African Players in History:
Choosing the top five players in African history proved challenging for Van den Broeck.
He acknowledged legendary figures like George Weah and Didier Drogba and mentioned players from his coaching era, such as Jay-Jay Okocha, Emmanuel Amunike, and Benni McCarthy.
However, he recognized the difficulty in narrowing down the list, given the abundance of talent Africa continues to produce.
In conclusion, Van den Broeck expressed optimism about Africa’s football evolution, anticipating the emergence of more talented players and teams in the future.
The continent’s ability to consistently produce top-quality players bodes well for the development of African football.
