UEMOA 2014: Togolese Legend Tommy Sylvestre Named Tournament Patron
The draw for the 7th edition of the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) football tournament took place on Thursday, 25 September, in Lomé, Togo, ahead of the competition scheduled to be held from 22 to 29 November in the Togolese capital.
This year’s tournament will be played by local-based players representing the eight UEMOA member states: Togo, Mali, Niger, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Guinea-Bissau. Teams have been split into two groups, with Group A comprising Togo, Mali, Niger, and Ivory Coast. Group B will feature defending champions Burkina Faso alongside Senegal, Benin, and Guinea-Bissau.
Adding a sense of pride and nostalgia to the competition, Togolese goalkeeping legend Tommy Sylvestre has been named patron of the 2014 edition. Speaking to the press following the draw, the former national team star expressed a deep emotional attachment to the host nation’s fortunes.
“I will do everything I can to ensure that Togo wins this cup — that’s my wish,” said Sylvestre, now regarded as a symbol of the golden era of Togolese football.
Sylvestre, who was between the posts for Togo at their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) appearance in 1972 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, reminisced about his footballing journey and his unwavering loyalty to his homeland. “You know, football has brought me nothing [financially], but I love my country and cannot turn my back on it. Togo trained me, and you Togolese fans adored me. That is more than enough for me. It’s not about money.”
His illustrious playing career began in 1964 with ASC Etoile Filante de Lomé, where he won multiple Togolese league titles (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968) and reached the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1968. The following year, the club also made it to the quarter-finals of the continental competition.
Sylvestre later moved to Ivory Coast, representing Stade d’Abidjan from 1974 to 1979 — where he lifted the Ivorian Cup and won the inaugural UFOA Cup — before finishing his career at Stella d’Abidjan (1979–1982). He was also part of the squad that participated in the 1972 mini-World Cup in Brazil.
The tournament, which promotes regional integration through football, is expected to showcase the best local talents from the region. With Tommy Sylvestre’s passionate involvement and the enthusiasm surrounding the host nation, Togo hopes to make a strong impression and keep the trophy on home soil.
