Émerse Faé has been confirmed as coach of Côte d'Ivoire, with whom he won the last African Cup of Nations, the president of the Ivorian Federation, Idriss Diallo, announced this Monday, February 19.
“Émerse was until now interim coach and he has just been confirmed today as titular coach,” announced Mr. Diallo on the occasion of the presentation of the CAN trophy to a sponsor in Abidjan.
“It is a two-year contract, until the 2026 World Cup, renewable,” added the president of the Ivorian entity.
The former OGC Nice or FC Nantes player took the reins of the Ivorian selection in the middle of the African Cup of Nations, the day after a disastrous first round at home.
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The Ivorians, then coached by Frenchman Jean-Louis Gasset, started with a victory over Guinea-Bissau (2-0), before losing to Nigeria (1-0) and being humiliated by Equatorial Guinea ( 4-0).
Thanks to the results of the other groups, the Elephants had however validated their ticket for the round of 16, passing through a mouse hole as the best third.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) then chose to disembark Gasset and entrust the reins of the selection to one of his deputies, Émerse Faé.
Associated with another former Ivorian international, Guy Demel, the former midfielder of the Canaries and the Aiglons awakened the Ivorian selection, which finally won the CAN, on February 11, against Nigeria (2-1), after having successively eliminated Senegal (1-1, 5-4 tab), Mali (2-1, ap) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-0).