Which player profiles are the most decisive at the AFCON? | OneFootball

Paulo Duarte: There is always the expectation that the big stars will make the difference, and often they do. But managing this is complex and requires a lot of work. Balancing players who play in Europe, used to a different pace and environment, with those who deeply understand the realities of African football is not always easy. Sometimes, there is even a real clash of realities.

Yes, in 2017, during the semi-final against Egypt, it was precisely my best players who missed the penalties. This shows that you can’t depend exclusively on the stars, just as you can’t rely only on players based in Africa. The secret lies in balance, complementarity, and building a strong collective where everyone feels important.

It was a remarkable and historic journey, capped with a bronze medal, even though there will always be the bitterness of our elimination in the semi-finals on penalties. From that experience, I took away several key principles. The first is humility: you can never consider yourself superior to anyone, even when you’re the favorite, because on the other side there are always eleven players ready to give everything to win.

The unity of the group is also fundamental. In short tournaments, collective strength makes all the difference. Then, you have to respect the principles, trust in the work and your teammates, and always think match by match. The slightest distraction can be very costly at AFCON.

View publisher imprint