The knockout phase of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations is currently taking place in Côte d'Ivoire.
The prestigious African football competition has narrowed down from 24 teams to the final 16 during the group stages, offering plenty of excitement for fans.
The tournament has showcased an incredible display of talent from both coaches and players, with a strong sense of patriotism and dedication evident throughout the event.
As we continue through the knockout phase, it's worth noting the 24 coaches of which some are out and others still working hard to lead their teams to victory in this highly competitive tournament.
It is worth highlighting that African countries are embracing a diverse approach to coaching, with 14 foreign coaches and 10 African tacticians leading their national teams in this Afcon edition.
With a blend of international expertise and local knowledge that promises to bring a dynamic and competitive edge to the tournament, below are all the 24 coaches:
Group A
Jean-Louis Gasset(French) coach of Ivory Coast.
The 70-year-old French coach has had an extensive coaching career, including nine years as Laurent Blanc's assistant.
He has also held head coaching positions with Ligue 1 teams Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, and Bordeaux.
He was sacked after the host nation lost two of their group-stage matches. However, it is noting that Gasset led the Ivory Coast to a significant victory, their biggest win since 1961 with a 9-0 victory over Seychelles.
Juan Micha ( Equatoguinean) coach of Equatorial Guinea
The 48-year-old coach from Equatorial Guinea began coaching the country's U-17 and U-20 teams before being promoted to lead the national team.
Under his leadership, the Nzalang Nacional made an unprecedented consecutive appearance in the AFCON after two consecutive absences.
Baciro Candé (Bissau-Guinean) coach of Guinea-Bissau
Baciro Candé was appointed after gaining experience in Portugal with AD Oeiras in 2017.
Hailing from Catio, he is the only person to have qualified the Djurtus for the Nations Cup, achieving this feat four times in a row.
José Peseiro (Portuguese) Nigeria coach
The 63-year-old Portuguese coach José Peseiro was appointed as the coach of the Nigeria national team in 2022, bringing with him a successful track record in Africa, which includes a success in the Egyptian championship with Al Ahly.
The Super Eagles had a strong AFCON 2024 qualifying campaign under Peseiro, winning five out of six group matches.
His task now is to lead Nigeria to their fourth Nations title having defeated Cameroon 2-0 on Saturday, January 27.
Group B
Bubista (Cape Verdean) coach of Cape Verde
The 53-year-old Cape Verdean coach Bubista took over as the coach of Cape Verde's national team in 2020 after managing several local teams.
He also served as an assistant coach for the team twice before he was given the saddle.
Bubista is the first coach in the history of the Blue Sharks to lead the team in a second consecutive AFCON tournament, to reach the round of 16, which they achieved in 2022 (AFCON 2021).
Rui Vitória (Portuguese) Egypt coach
He took over as the coach of the Egyptian national team in 2022, following the sacking of Carlos Queiroz.
He was able to lead the team to success in the qualifying phase, with five victories in as many matches.
Chris Hughton (Irish coach) Ghana coach
The 65-year-old became the head coach of the Ghana national team in March 2023, taking over from former Ghanaian international Otto Addo.
Chiquinho Conde (Mozambican) Mozambique coach.
He took the role of head coach of the Mozambique national team in 2021.
This came after a previous brief stint with the team in 2010, amidst his involvement in the domestic championship.
Even with a record of 10 losses, six wins, and four draws in 20 matches, he managed to lead the team to qualify for their first AFCON event in 14 years, marking their return after not competing since 2010.
Group C
Rigobert Song (Cameroonian) coach of Cameroon.
The 47-year-old was hired in 2022 by his former teammate Samuel Eto'o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation.
Song, who has 137 caps and four goals as a former defender of the Indomitable Lions, previously managed the team on an interim basis between 2017 and 2018 while serving as an assistant.
He also won two of his country's five AFCON titles and was the best player of the tournament in 2002.
Tom Saintfiet (Belgian) coach of Gambia.
Tom Saintfiet arrived in 2018 and is one of the most experienced coaches of this edition.
The 50-year-old tactician has managed 10 national teams, six of which were in Africa, and also served as the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) between March and July 2012.
Kaba Diawara (Franco-Guinean) coach of Guinea.
Despite his limited coaching experience, having taken on the role in 2021, Diawara previously represented the national team as a striker, earning 28 caps and scoring 10 goals.
Aliou Cissé (Senegalese) leads the Senegal national team.
The 47-year-old transitioned to coaching in 2015 after a successful career as a midfielder for the Lions, earning 33 caps.
Before his current position, he gained experience as an assistant to the position of coach and served as a caretaker coach between February and April 2012.
Group D
Djamel Belmadi (Franco-Algerian) Algeria coach
The 47-year-old took over the Fennecs in 2018 after spending eight years in Qatar.
He previously managed the Qatari national team from 2014-2015 and had two stints in charge of Lekhwiya SC from 2010-2012 and 2015-2018.
Pedro Soares Gonçalves (Portuguese) Angolas coach.
The Portuguese was appointed in August 2019 despite lacking experience coaching professional teams.
Before coaching Angola, he worked with youth categories of Portuguese clubs, the U20 and U17 youth teams of Angola, and the hopefuls of Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto in Angola.
Initially failing to qualify the Palancas Negras for AFCON 2021, Gonçalves redeemed himself by guiding them to the current edition of the Nations Cup.
Hubert Velud (French national) coach of Burkina Faso.
He has been serving as the head coach of Burkina Faso since April 2022.
With extensive experience in African football, he has previously coached multiple clubs on the continent, including the national teams of Togo and Sudan.
Velud achieved success with TP Mazembe, winning the CAF Super Cup in 2016, and also secured two championships in Algeria with ES Sétif in 2013 and USM Alger in 2014.
Amir Abdou (Franco-Comorian) coach of Mauritania.
The 51-year-old has had a stint at FC Golfech in France and a successful career with the Comoros.
Group E
Éric Chelle (Franco-Malian) coach of Mali.
He was appointed in May 2022 and had a successful career as a former Eagles defender with 5 caps.
Before taking the reins of the national team, he had made his mark in the lower divisions in France.
Collin Benjamin (Namibian) the coach of Namibia.
Benjamin is the youngest coach of AFCON 2024 and had previously worked as a youth coach at TSV 1860 Munich.
The 45-year-old joined the staff of the Brave Warriors as an assistant in 2018 and took charge as the head coach in July 2022.
Under his leadership, Namibia returned to the Nations Cup after missing the previous edition.
Hugo Broos (Belgian) South African coach.
The 71-year-old Belgian has been leading the South African team since May 2021.
He is the oldest coach and has already won a trophy with Cameroon in 2017.
With three championships and two cups in Belgium, he moved to Africa, specifically Algeria, where he continued his coaching career.
Jalal Kadri (Tunisian) coach of Tunisia.
Kadri took charge as the head coach of Tunisia in February 2022 after serving as deputy to Mondher Kebaier for a year. He had previously been the team's assistant coach for seven months under Nabil Maaloul.
Group F
Sebastien Desabre (French) coach of DR Congo
The 47-year-old French coach took over as the DR Congo coach in August 2023 after spending two years with Chamois Niortais.
With extensive experience in Africa, he has managed the Ugandan national team and clubs such as Esperance, ASEC Mimosas, Ismaily, and Wydad Casablanca.
Walid Regragui (Franco-Moroccan) Morocco head coach
He has been the coach of the Morocco national team since 2022, following the departure of Vahid Halilhodzic just before the World Cup.
A former Moroccan international with 44 caps and 1 goal, Regragui recently achieved the Botola Pro/CAF Champions League double with Wydad, earning him the title of best African coach in 2022.
With victories in the Moroccan Cup and Qatari championship, his best performance remains Morocco’s fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup.
Adel Amrouche (Algerian) Tanzania coach
The 55-year-old Algerian was appointed as the Tanzania coach in March 2023.
Before this role, Amrouche managed Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Kenya, Libya, and Botswana, as well as coached clubs in Algeria's Ligue 1, including USM Alger and MC Alger.
The Taifa Stars' appearance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations marks their third appearance in the tournament, with Amrouche's overall performance being satisfactory.
Avram Grant (Israeli) Zambia coach
The 68-year-old Israeli took on the role of Zambia coach in December 2022.
This is his second stint in charge of an African team, following his management of Ghana from 2014 to 2017.
Under his leadership, the Chipolopolo of Zambia returned to the Nations Cup after three consecutive absences.
Although Grant has won six titles in his career, only one of those victories occurred in the last two decades when he clinched the Serbian Superliga title in 2012. Despite coming close to winning the AFCON as Ghana's coach in 2015, Grant's team lost on penalties in the final.
The prestigious African football competition has narrowed down from 24 teams to the final 16 during the group stages, offering plenty of excitement for fans.
The tournament has showcased an incredible display of talent from both coaches and players, with a strong sense of patriotism and dedication evident throughout the event.
As we continue through the knockout phase, it's worth noting the 24 coaches of which some are out and others still working hard to lead their teams to victory in this highly competitive tournament.
It is worth highlighting that African countries are embracing a diverse approach to coaching, with 14 foreign coaches and 10 African tacticians leading their national teams in this Afcon edition.
With a blend of international expertise and local knowledge that promises to bring a dynamic and competitive edge to the tournament, below are all the 24 coaches:
Group A
Jean-Louis Gasset(French) coach of Ivory Coast.
The 70-year-old French coach has had an extensive coaching career, including nine years as Laurent Blanc's assistant.
He has also held head coaching positions with Ligue 1 teams Montpellier, Saint-Étienne, and Bordeaux.
He was sacked after the host nation lost two of their group-stage matches. However, it is noting that Gasset led the Ivory Coast to a significant victory, their biggest win since 1961 with a 9-0 victory over Seychelles.
Juan Micha ( Equatoguinean) coach of Equatorial Guinea
The 48-year-old coach from Equatorial Guinea began coaching the country's U-17 and U-20 teams before being promoted to lead the national team.
Under his leadership, the Nzalang Nacional made an unprecedented consecutive appearance in the AFCON after two consecutive absences.
Baciro Candé (Bissau-Guinean) coach of Guinea-Bissau
Baciro Candé was appointed after gaining experience in Portugal with AD Oeiras in 2017.
Hailing from Catio, he is the only person to have qualified the Djurtus for the Nations Cup, achieving this feat four times in a row.
José Peseiro (Portuguese) Nigeria coach
The 63-year-old Portuguese coach José Peseiro was appointed as the coach of the Nigeria national team in 2022, bringing with him a successful track record in Africa, which includes a success in the Egyptian championship with Al Ahly.
The Super Eagles had a strong AFCON 2024 qualifying campaign under Peseiro, winning five out of six group matches.
His task now is to lead Nigeria to their fourth Nations title having defeated Cameroon 2-0 on Saturday, January 27.
Group B
Bubista (Cape Verdean) coach of Cape Verde
The 53-year-old Cape Verdean coach Bubista took over as the coach of Cape Verde's national team in 2020 after managing several local teams.
He also served as an assistant coach for the team twice before he was given the saddle.
Bubista is the first coach in the history of the Blue Sharks to lead the team in a second consecutive AFCON tournament, to reach the round of 16, which they achieved in 2022 (AFCON 2021).
Rui Vitória (Portuguese) Egypt coach
He took over as the coach of the Egyptian national team in 2022, following the sacking of Carlos Queiroz.
He was able to lead the team to success in the qualifying phase, with five victories in as many matches.
Chris Hughton (Irish coach) Ghana coach
The 65-year-old became the head coach of the Ghana national team in March 2023, taking over from former Ghanaian international Otto Addo.
Chiquinho Conde (Mozambican) Mozambique coach.
He took the role of head coach of the Mozambique national team in 2021.
This came after a previous brief stint with the team in 2010, amidst his involvement in the domestic championship.
Even with a record of 10 losses, six wins, and four draws in 20 matches, he managed to lead the team to qualify for their first AFCON event in 14 years, marking their return after not competing since 2010.
Group C
Rigobert Song (Cameroonian) coach of Cameroon.
The 47-year-old was hired in 2022 by his former teammate Samuel Eto'o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation.
Song, who has 137 caps and four goals as a former defender of the Indomitable Lions, previously managed the team on an interim basis between 2017 and 2018 while serving as an assistant.
He also won two of his country's five AFCON titles and was the best player of the tournament in 2002.
Tom Saintfiet (Belgian) coach of Gambia.
Tom Saintfiet arrived in 2018 and is one of the most experienced coaches of this edition.
The 50-year-old tactician has managed 10 national teams, six of which were in Africa, and also served as the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) between March and July 2012.
Kaba Diawara (Franco-Guinean) coach of Guinea.
Despite his limited coaching experience, having taken on the role in 2021, Diawara previously represented the national team as a striker, earning 28 caps and scoring 10 goals.
Aliou Cissé (Senegalese) leads the Senegal national team.
The 47-year-old transitioned to coaching in 2015 after a successful career as a midfielder for the Lions, earning 33 caps.
Before his current position, he gained experience as an assistant to the position of coach and served as a caretaker coach between February and April 2012.
Group D
Djamel Belmadi (Franco-Algerian) Algeria coach
The 47-year-old took over the Fennecs in 2018 after spending eight years in Qatar.
He previously managed the Qatari national team from 2014-2015 and had two stints in charge of Lekhwiya SC from 2010-2012 and 2015-2018.
Pedro Soares Gonçalves (Portuguese) Angolas coach.
The Portuguese was appointed in August 2019 despite lacking experience coaching professional teams.
Before coaching Angola, he worked with youth categories of Portuguese clubs, the U20 and U17 youth teams of Angola, and the hopefuls of Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto in Angola.
Initially failing to qualify the Palancas Negras for AFCON 2021, Gonçalves redeemed himself by guiding them to the current edition of the Nations Cup.
Hubert Velud (French national) coach of Burkina Faso.
He has been serving as the head coach of Burkina Faso since April 2022.
With extensive experience in African football, he has previously coached multiple clubs on the continent, including the national teams of Togo and Sudan.
Velud achieved success with TP Mazembe, winning the CAF Super Cup in 2016, and also secured two championships in Algeria with ES Sétif in 2013 and USM Alger in 2014.
Amir Abdou (Franco-Comorian) coach of Mauritania.
The 51-year-old has had a stint at FC Golfech in France and a successful career with the Comoros.
Group E
Éric Chelle (Franco-Malian) coach of Mali.
He was appointed in May 2022 and had a successful career as a former Eagles defender with 5 caps.
Before taking the reins of the national team, he had made his mark in the lower divisions in France.
Collin Benjamin (Namibian) the coach of Namibia.
Benjamin is the youngest coach of AFCON 2024 and had previously worked as a youth coach at TSV 1860 Munich.
The 45-year-old joined the staff of the Brave Warriors as an assistant in 2018 and took charge as the head coach in July 2022.
Under his leadership, Namibia returned to the Nations Cup after missing the previous edition.
Hugo Broos (Belgian) South African coach.
The 71-year-old Belgian has been leading the South African team since May 2021.
He is the oldest coach and has already won a trophy with Cameroon in 2017.
With three championships and two cups in Belgium, he moved to Africa, specifically Algeria, where he continued his coaching career.
Jalal Kadri (Tunisian) coach of Tunisia.
Kadri took charge as the head coach of Tunisia in February 2022 after serving as deputy to Mondher Kebaier for a year. He had previously been the team's assistant coach for seven months under Nabil Maaloul.
Group F
Sebastien Desabre (French) coach of DR Congo
The 47-year-old French coach took over as the DR Congo coach in August 2023 after spending two years with Chamois Niortais.
With extensive experience in Africa, he has managed the Ugandan national team and clubs such as Esperance, ASEC Mimosas, Ismaily, and Wydad Casablanca.
Walid Regragui (Franco-Moroccan) Morocco head coach
He has been the coach of the Morocco national team since 2022, following the departure of Vahid Halilhodzic just before the World Cup.
A former Moroccan international with 44 caps and 1 goal, Regragui recently achieved the Botola Pro/CAF Champions League double with Wydad, earning him the title of best African coach in 2022.
With victories in the Moroccan Cup and Qatari championship, his best performance remains Morocco’s fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup.
Adel Amrouche (Algerian) Tanzania coach
The 55-year-old Algerian was appointed as the Tanzania coach in March 2023.
Before this role, Amrouche managed Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Kenya, Libya, and Botswana, as well as coached clubs in Algeria's Ligue 1, including USM Alger and MC Alger.
The Taifa Stars' appearance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations marks their third appearance in the tournament, with Amrouche's overall performance being satisfactory.
Avram Grant (Israeli) Zambia coach
The 68-year-old Israeli took on the role of Zambia coach in December 2022.
This is his second stint in charge of an African team, following his management of Ghana from 2014 to 2017.
Under his leadership, the Chipolopolo of Zambia returned to the Nations Cup after three consecutive absences.
Although Grant has won six titles in his career, only one of those victories occurred in the last two decades when he clinched the Serbian Superliga title in 2012. Despite coming close to winning the AFCON as Ghana's coach in 2015, Grant's team lost on penalties in the final.