CAN 2013: "We slept at the airport" Aristide Bancé

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·6 de septiembre de 2025

CAN 2013: "We slept at the airport" Aristide Bancé

Aristide Bancé shares reasons behind Burkina Faso's failure in the 2013 AFCON final

CAN 2013: "We slept at the airport" Aristide Bancé

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In an in-depth interview with BF1, former Burkina Faso star striker Aristide Bancé opened up about the heartbreaking defeat in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against Nigeria. Beyond the narrow 0-1 scoreline, the legendary Stallion revealed a deeper wound: the team spent the night at the airport before their historic showdown.

Twelve years on, the wound remains fresh. “We slept at the airport,” Bancé admitted, his voice heavy with emotion. The ex-centre forward is renowned for his candor. In the interview, Bancé revisited the unique context of the 2013 AFCON final, the first ever in Burkina Faso's football history. Burkina Faso fell 0-1 to Nigeria at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.

Lack of experience

His revelations take on even greater significance in light of the Stallions’ remarkable journey in that tournament. The squad endured an exhausting run, playing back-to-back extra times to reach the final: Togo in the quarterfinals (1-0) and Ghana in the semis (1-1, 3-2 on penalties). Bancé lamented the perilous travel conditions that left a mark on the bodies and minds of the Stallions, then coached by Belgian manager Paul Put.

The journey from Nelspruit to Johannesburg (348.4 km according to Google Maps) was long. We even slept at the airport. Others can testify to it. We had to vacate the hotel before noon. We left the hotel, arrived at the airport, and started sleeping there. We travelled around midnight, it rained, the plane couldn't land, the weather was bad. We really struggled. We arrived there (Johannesburg) the night before the final. We barely slept. In the afternoon, we did our light training, set up the game plan, and still felt the fatigue. Meanwhile, when Nigeria qualified, a plane came straight to pick them up. But it’s not our fault. It was our first final. But Nigeria (having played several finals) were seasoned.

The player, who experienced stints at more than twenty clubs in his professional career, doesn’t dramatize the situation. For him, this bitter memory should serve as a vital lesson for future campaigns.

Today I say this to everyone looking me in the eye, whether it’s the federation president, the President of the Republic, or anyone else. And that’s my wish. If one day the national team qualifies for another final abroad, I urge the leaders to send a special plane to bring the Stallions from the semi-final venue to the final. We shouldn’t have to wait for another plane, a chartered one... Now, we’re part of the elite. I think we’ve learned this lesson. If we reach the final, a special plane needs to be arranged directly for the players.

The 2013 final remains the greatest achievement in the history of Burkina Faso’s senior national team. The Stallions had previously finished fourth at home in 1998, third in Gabon in 2017, and fourth again in Cameroon in 2021. While Aristide Bancé has now retired, the Land of Upright People has qualified for the next Africa Cup of Nations and is chasing its maiden crown.