Africa is getting ready for football celebration: “Importance and intensity are enormous” | Africa Cup

Let’s turn the clock back to February 5, 2017.

Hugo Broos exceeds all expectations and reaches the final of the Africa Cup with Cameroon. Against record champion Egypt (7 overall victories), the Indomitable Lions put a skewed situation completely right thanks to a goal in the absolute final phase. A great stunt.

“It was an incredible experience and perhaps the pinnacle of my entire career,” says Broos. “You should not underestimate the final win in the Africa Cup, because it is the cup of an entire continent.”

“It can actually be compared to a European Championship. Even during the qualifying matches, the importance of the tournament is immediately clear. For the major countries, the pressure is enormous during the tournament.”

Broos experienced very closely that the Africa Cup is the highest football good for Africans. “My contract with Cameroon stated that I had to qualify and then at least reach the semi-finals. Otherwise they could fire me,” explains the current South Africa coach.

“After our final victory, we experienced unprecedented scenes. When we arrived at the airport of the capital, Yaoundé, we just couldn’t get through the crowd. We really drove 30 kilometers through a sea of ​​people at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour.

“In fact, after the final, the electricity was turned off in Yaoundé to force people to go home,” adds Broos. “The whole city was in the dark, because they wanted to stop the festivities.”

“Something inferior is done about the Africa Cup, but if you win it, you are simply the best country on the continent. That is just unique.”

Tom Saintfiet, present at the Africa Cup as national coach of Gambia, has previously expressed his concern about the lack of respect for the tournament from European clubs.

“I fully agree with that,” said Broos. “It is of course difficult not to see your players for a month in January. But everything is shut down for a World Cup.”

“I have experienced it myself. In Cameroon I made a conscious selection of 35 players, because I already expected that some would not come. 6 or 7 eventually canceled. Simply because they were afraid of losing their place with their team. club,” concluded the Belgian trainer.