The 29 Best AFCON Coaches of the 21st Century

Three-peat dynasties, parachuted European tacticians and emerging local heroes all chase the same continental crown. Where do you stand?

1. 1
   Hassan Shehata

   Egyptian coach with an unprecedented three consecutive AFCON titles in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Henri Michel

   French coach who led Ivory Coast to the 2006 AFCON final in Egypt, lost on penalties, and to the country's first World Cup the same year.
   576pts
3. 3
   François Zahoui

   Ivorian coach whose side went through the 2012 AFCON without conceding a goal before losing the final to Zambia on penalties.
   576pts
4. 4
   Augustine Eguavoen

   Nigerian coach who led the Super Eagles to third place at the 2006 AFCON and returned as interim boss to win all three group games in 2021.
   529pts
5. 5
   Stephen Keshi

   Nigerian coach who delivered the 2013 AFCON, one of only two men to win it as player and coach.
   529pts
6. 6
   Florent Ibenge

   DR Congo coach who took the Leopards to third place at the 2015 AFCON, including a 4-2 comeback quarter-final win over neighbours Congo.
   529pts
7. 7
   Badou Zaki

   Former Morocco goalkeeper who coached the Atlas Lions to the 2004 AFCON final in Tunisia, their best finish since winning the 1976 title.
   529pts
8. 8
   Hervé Renard

   French tactician who lifted AFCON with two different nations — Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015.
   475pts
9. 9
   Gernot Rohr

   German coach who guided Nigeria to third place at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, beating holders Cameroon and South Africa along the way.
   475pts
10. 10
    Claude Le Roy

    Veteran French coach with multiple deep AFCON runs across decades and African nations.
    475pts
11. 11
    Emerse Faé

    Interim Ivory Coast coach who completed a stunning comeback to win the 2023 AFCON on home soil.
    411pts
12. 12
    Vahid Halilhodžić

    Bosnian coach who led Algeria, Ivory Coast and Morocco to strong AFCON campaigns.
    411pts
13. 13
    Walid Regragui

    Morocco boss who reached the 2022 World Cup semi-final and led the hosts to the 2025 AFCON final, named coach of the tournament before CAF awarded Morocco the title on appeal.
    411pts
14. 14
    Roger Lemerre

    French coach who added the 2004 AFCON with Tunisia to his Euro 2000 trophy.
    411pts
15. 15
    Djamel Belmadi

    Algerian boss who guided the Fennecs to a 2019 AFCON triumph in Egypt.
    411pts
16. 16
    Otto Pfister

    German veteran who guided Cameroon to the 2008 AFCON final in Ghana, where the Indomitable Lions lost 1-0 to Egypt.
    337pts
17. 17
    Winfried Schäfer

    German manager who lifted the 2002 AFCON with Cameroon's Indomitable Lions.
    337pts
18. 18
    Bruno Metsu

    French manager who guided Senegal to the 2002 AFCON final and a memorable World Cup quarterfinal.
    247pts
19. 19
    Pape Thiaw

    Senegal coach whose side beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the 2025 final, a result CAF's appeal board later overturned and Senegal took to CAS.
    247pts
20. 20
    António Conceição

    Portuguese coach who led hosts Cameroon to third place at the 2021 AFCON, with Vincent Aboubakar finishing as the tournament's top scorer.
    247pts
21. 21
    Milovan Rajevac

    Serbian coach who took a young Ghana side to the 2010 AFCON final in Angola before reaching the World Cup quarter-finals months later.
    247pts
22. 22
    José Peseiro

    Portuguese coach who guided Nigeria to the 2023 AFCON final, eliminating Cameroon and South Africa before losing 2-1 to hosts Ivory Coast.
    247pts
23. 23
    Rabah Saâdane

    Algerian coach who led the Fennecs to the 2010 AFCON semi-finals, beating Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals, and to the World Cup that summer.
    247pts
24. 24
    Avram Grant

    Israeli coach who took Ghana to the 2015 AFCON final.
    0pts
25. 25
    Aliou Cissé

    Senegal boss who delivered the Lions of Teranga their first AFCON crown in 2021.
    0pts
26. 26
    Hugo Broos

    Belgian coach who masterminded Cameroon's surprise 2017 AFCON triumph and later led South Africa to third place at the 2023 edition.
    0pts
27. 27
    Héctor Cúper

    Argentine coach who returned Egypt to the AFCON after seven years away and led them to the 2017 final, lost 2-1 to Cameroon.
    0pts
28. 28
    Carlos Queiroz

    Portuguese coach who led Egypt to the 2021 AFCON final, knocking out Ivory Coast and hosts Cameroon on penalties before losing to Senegal.
    0pts
29. 29
    Henryk Kasperczak

    Polish coach who led Mali to the AFCON semi-finals on home soil in 2002 and again in Tunisia in 2004.
    0pts

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