Migné and Desabre, lifelong friends, reunite as Haiti and DR Congo reach the World Cup | OneFootball

From amateur football in Mougins in the 1990s to the World Cup touchlines, Sébastien Migné and Sébastien Desabre have stayed in step. They now lead Haiti and DR Congo, echoing 1974 when those nations became the first black teams at the finals.

In December 2024 in Marrakech, Desabre met South Africa boss Hugo Broos at the CAF Awards, both up for coach of the year, while Migné was there to back his friend. According to L'Équipe, their bond underpins everything.

The friendship began when Migné took charge of a regional side in 1998 with Desabre under him, even putting him up at home. Today they live minutes apart near Bordeaux and speak every day.

Migné later assisted Jean-Pierre Papin at Strasbourg and Lens, then Claude Le Roy in Oman and across Africa before taking national teams. Desabre pursued number-one roles, notably at ASEC Abidjan via Hervé Renard, and both say Africa shaped them.

At Niort between 2020 and 2022 Desabre enlisted Migné, who even stood in once against Rodez, a 1-1 draw, due to Covid. Migné then tipped him for DR Congo, and Desabre later steered him towards Haiti.

They feared a play-off meeting but instead shared ideas. Migné used DR Congo’s 3-2 defeat to Senegal, after leading 2-0, to rouse his own side from 0-2 to 3-2 before a late equaliser that still aided qualification. Now they praise each other’s methods and relish arriving here together.

Source: L'Équipe