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Last week, perhaps one of the brightest and most unpredictable continental championships ended — the African Cup nations. We figure out what makes it unique, and also predict what the Russian team could count on if it were to take part in this tournament.
Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire — like Russia and Ukraine
The next African Cup of Nations was held in Cote d'Ivoire, and it was the hosts who won the trophy, beating the Nigerians in the final with a score of 2:1. It is surprising that the cup was won by a team that suffered two defeats in the group stage and, because of this, was left without a head coach. «Côte d'Ivoire was one of the favorites because it is a strong team, plus the cup was held in this country, this is certainly a big help. But it should be noted that in many games they were simply lucky. I talked to many football players, and they themselves they said that they were lucky that God had granted them this victory,» said agent Dmitry Selyuk, who specializes in the African market. «I am glad that it was Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire who played in the final, since there are 15 Africans in my team, and in a 50 to 50 ratio, it was the Nigerians and the Ivorians (laughs). They also watched the final, and I asked them: “Just don’t fight, you still have to play together!”
«We had a very good team, young and very talented. We lacked a little focus and consistency and it cost us dearly. Personally, I think I could have contributed more to the team if I had scored more goals. But it's the defeats yesterday that create tomorrow's victories. So, by working, we will be ready for great things,» Konate said.
This forward has a remarkable destiny: Mohamed was born in Cote d'Ivoire, in 2016 he first came to Russia, after which he traveled to clubs in the CIS countries, became Russified and learned the Russian language perfectly, and in 2020 he made his debut for the Burkina Faso national team. “It was a very important tournament for me because I dreamed of playing in the country where I was born, in front of my parents and my whole family. I wanted my family to be proud of me, and I think that was the case, so I’m happy,” the forward emphasized «Ivory Coast always had great players, they had a solid team and a whole country that supported them. Playing in a tournament in your own country is a lot of pressure, and it's good that they were able to adapt and win the cup.»< br>
How did it happen that Konate chose the national team of a different country than the one in which he was born? The fact is that Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, as neighbors, have close social, demographic and economic ties, which is also reflected in sports. «My clients are mainly Ivorians and Nigerians. There are players from Burkina Faso, but they are like one country with the Ivorians, most are like relatives. Just like Russia and Ukraine used to be. Almost everyone from Côte d'Ivoire can play for Burkina “Faso, because everyone has common roots,” said Selyuk.
More people watch the African Cup than the European Championship
One of the main features of the African Cup of Nations is the frequency of its holding. Unlike the European Championship, it is held every two years, and takes place in January-February, when top championships and European cups are in full swing. Therefore, for many, the significance of the cup is not so high, and for the English Premier League, for example, it is generally a serious irritant: many clubs are forced to plug holes in their roster due to Africans leaving for their national teams.
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Despite this, one can hardly underestimate the significance of the tournament for Africa and the entire world of football. As Seluk notes, it is simply impossible to ignore the huge continent as a football market: “The African Cup, the European Championship and the Asian Cup are about the same, these are the largest tournaments where you can watch big teams. So, just in case, we must remind you that Africa has one and a half billion people, and they enjoy watching football. And I think that the European Championship is watched by fewer people. Africa has a huge market, and we need to work towards increasing income from advertising, TV broadcasts and so on.»
Russia will not be in Africa, but Africans will be in the RPL
Since February 2022, Russian football has been living under sanctions from the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Almost immediately, discussions began about the transfer of the Russian Football Union (RFU) to another confederation, and the number one choice was Asia. The question is still alive, but the question also came up — why don’t we look towards Africa? Maybe Valery Karpin's team could shine at the African Cup of Nations?
Last summer, RFU Secretary General Maxim Mitrofanov noted on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit that such an option was not even being considered. “It is obvious that the transition of the RFU to the Confederation of African Football, to put it mildly, is difficult to carry out for logistical and economic reasons. When the RFU, like any other national association, was in the system of regular competitions under the auspices of FIFA and UEFA, then building direct relations with all football peace was inappropriate. Accordingly, now, due to known circumstances, we must build relationships with a large number of federations and national confederations,» he said.
What if you dream up? Could the Russian team compete with top African teams? Konate thinks not.
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«The Russian national team would have had a very hard time. I even think that they could not, because the climate is different, the culture, and the atmosphere. Perhaps if the Russians had spent more time years in our competitions, they would be able to adapt,” the striker admitted.
And yet Russia and Africa continue to be linked by strong football ties. Last year, the Russian national team played friendly matches against the teams of Cameroon and Kenya, and 15 Africans play in RPL clubs. However, the operation of clubs in this large part of the transfer market still faces an old and sensitive problem. “Will there be a surge of interest among RPL clubs in Africans after the last African Cup? Everything will depend on the teams themselves. Some people love Africans, some don’t, somewhere there are slightly racist roots. Therefore, there will be no connection with the last tournament. Racism still exists, but you have to be objective: in some clubs it exists because of a certain attitude towards blacks, and in some clubs it exists because the level of management training is so low that they don’t even know how to bring a foreigner, how to fill out the paperwork, how to overcome the language barrier. Often very unprofessional people work in clubs,» Selyuk concluded.
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