Lamine Ndiaye joins elite African coaches after USM Alger’s Confederation Cup triumph

Senegalese tactician Lamine Ndiaye has written his name deeper into African football history after guiding USM Alger to victory in the 2025–2026 CAF Confederation Cup final.

Ndiaye led USM Alger to a hard-fought triumph over Zamalek SC on Saturday, securing another major continental honour in what has been a remarkable managerial career.

The victory marks a significant milestone for Ndiaye, who has now become one of the very few African coaches to complete a continental double, adding the Confederation Cup title to his previous success in African club football’s elite competition.

This latest achievement comes more than a decade after he guided TP Mazembe to CAF Champions League glory in 2010, a triumph that first established him as one of the continent’s most respected tacticians.

By lifting the Confederation Cup with USM Alger, Ndiaye has now secured his place among an exclusive group of African coaches to have won both major CAF club competitions during their careers.

He becomes only the fifth African manager to achieve this rare feat, joining an elite list that includes Faouzi Benzarti, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, Hussein Ammouta, and Moïne Chaâbani.

Ndiaye’s latest success further highlights his longevity and adaptability in African football, having remained competitive across different eras, clubs, and tactical demands.

His leadership of USM Alger throughout the campaign has been marked by discipline, tactical organisation, and the ability to manage high-pressure knockout matches, all of which proved decisive in their continental run.

The triumph also reinforces USM Alger’s growing stature in African football, as the Algerian side continues to build a strong reputation on the continental stage with another major trophy added to their cabinet.

For Ndiaye, the achievement represents not only personal glory but also a broader recognition of the quality and influence of African coaches who continue to shape the game across the continent.

As celebrations continue, his name now sits firmly among the greats of African club football management, with his double continental success securing a legacy few coaches on the continent have ever matched.