Tom Saintfiet, the former head coach of Gambia, has been chosen to lead Mali’s national football team following his appointment by the Malian Football Federation (Femafoot).
Saintfiet’s contract is for two years, with the possibility of an extension. Expectations are high for him to lead the team to the semi-finals of AFCON 2025 in Morocco and secure Mali’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
This announcement comes after considering six candidates for the position, including well-known names such as Antonio Conceiçao, Hector Cùper, and Pitso Mosimane.
Mali will start their crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign next month against Mozambique and Eswatini.
Saintfiet is experienced in African football, having previously managed Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Togo, and notably – Gambia. His immediate task will be to assess the squad and prepare a strategy for the upcoming qualifiers.
The Belgian coach comes to a team with talented players from some of the top leagues in the world. With upcoming qualifiers against Mozambique on September 6th in Bamako and Eswatini on September 9th in Mbombela, South Africa, there is a lot of anticipation for his impact.
Ex-Gambia boss Tom Saintfiet appointed as new Mali coach
— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) August 29, 2024
Tom Saintfiet, who previously served as the head coach of Gambia, has been selected to lead the national football team of Mali following his appointment by the Malian Football Federation (Femafoot). @AiglesDuMali_ pic.twitter.com/E3WnWPzQxw
