Best African managers of all time

As you already know, football is a popular sport that many people follow worldwide. It is one of the most-viewed sports and has lots of supporters on all continents. Football in each continent has its own story and there are many outstanding characters in the history of this sport in different countries.

In Africa, just as Europe, the USA, and Asia, many names could be seen that stand out in football and made this sport promote in their continent and the world. In this article today, we are going to have a look at the

best African managers in history

. Here we will go over their career and achievements. Stay with us and keep reading.

Greatest African coaches of all time

Without further ado, let’s go through the

best African managers ever

.

Pitso Mosimane

The first name on our list for the best African managers of all time is Pitso Mosimane, the current manager of the Egyptian club,

. This former footballer was born in Kagiso, Gauteng, South Africa on 26 July 1964 and started playing football professionally at

in 1982.

Mosimane then played for Mamelodi Sundowns,

, Ionikos, KFC Rita Berlaar, and Al Sadd until he finished his career in 1996. As a footballer, he won 1 Beta Ethniki with the Greek club, Ionikos during his career.

The managerial career of this South African manager started in 2001 with Supersport United, where he worked for this club for 6 years. In 2006, he became an assistant coach in the national team of South Africa. Mosimane worked in this position until 2010 and then became the head coach of this team.

This brilliant coach managed South Africa for 2 years and then joined Mamelodi Sundowns. He worked there until 2020 and then moved to his current club, Al Ahli. Since 2020, this South African manager has been working for this Egyptian club.

Pitso Mosimane, who is one of the

best African coaches of all time

, won 1 Nedbank Cup and 1 SAA Super Eight Cup with Supersport United, 5 Premier Soccer League titles, 2 Nedbank Cup, 2 Telkom Knockout, 1 CAF Champions League, and 1 CAF Super Cup with Mamelodi Sundowns, and 1 Egypt Cup, 2 CAF Champions League, and 2 CAF Super Cup with Al Ahli.

Cecil Jones Attuquayefio 

The next manager among the best African managers of all time is Cecil Jones Attuquayefio. He was born in Accra, Ghana on 18 October 1944 and passed away in this city on 12 May 2015. This former footballer and manager started kicking the ball at Accra Standfast FC in 1962 and played there for 1 season. Then he moved to Ghana Republicans FC, where he kicked the ball until 1965.

In 1966, Attuquayefio joined Great Olympics. He played for this team until the end of his career in 1974. As a player, this Ghanaian footballer won 2 Ghana Premier League titles, with Great Olympics.

During his managerial career, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio managed Great Olympics, Okwawu United, Stade Abidjan, Goldfields Obuasi, Goldfields Academy, Ghana U-17, Hearts of Oak, the national team of Ghana, Liberty Professionals FC, and the national team of Benin. He is one of the greatest African coaches of all time and won 1 CAF Champions League and 1 CAF Super Cup during his managerial career.

Gordon Igesund

The next name among the best African managers of all time is the South African manager, Gordon Igesund. He was born in Durban, South Africa on 22 July 1956 and began playing football at Durban City. During his football career, this former player kicked the ball for Durban City, Durban United, Highlands Park, Grazer AK, Admira Wacker, Durban Leeds United, Witbank Aces, Durban Bush Bucks, Amazulu, and D’Alberton Callies.

Igesund’s managerial career started with African Wanderers in 1995, but he joined Manning Rangers after a short time, where he managed until 2000. This brilliant coach then moved to Orlando Pirates and after spending the 2000/01 season, he joined Santos Cape Town.

Igesung managed this team until 2002 and then joined Ajax Cape Town, where he worked until 2006. This South African manager also worked for Mamelodi Sundowns, Maritzburg United, Free State Stars, and Moroka Swallows until 2012.

Igesund was appointed as the manager of the national team of South Africa in 2012. After managing them for 2 years, this brilliant coach joined SuperSport United, where he worked until 2016. Then he moved to Highlands Park, where he spent the 2016/17 season. Since 2017, he hasn’t managed any football teams.

Gordon Igesund, who is one of the best African managers ever, won 4 Premier Soccer League titles with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos, and Sundowns, 1 BP Top Eight Cup with Orlando Pirates, 1 SAA Super Eight Cup with Sundowns, and 1 Telkom Knockout with SuperSport United.

Abdelmajid Chetali

The next manager on our list for the best African managers of all time is Abdelmajid Chetali. This former footballer and manager was born in Sousse, Tunisia on 4 July 1939. He spent all of his time as a player at the Tunisian club, Etoile du Sahel, and kicked the ball for them from 1957 until 1968.

Chetali won 3 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 and 2 Tunisian Cup titles with Etoile du Sahel and 1 Arab Cup of Nations with the national team of Tunisia. The managerial career of this brilliant coach began in 1970 with Etoile du Sahel. After working there for 5 years, he was appointed as the head coach of the national team of Tunisia.

 It is interesting to know that Chetali led this team to their first World Cup appearance in 1978. In this tournament, they became the first African team to win a World Cup match as they beat Mexico 3-1. This brilliant manager coached the national team of Tunisia until 1978 and then joined the Emirati club, Al Ain, where he spent the 1979/80 season.

In 1983, Chetalli moved to Saudi Arabia to manage Al Wehda, where he coached for 2 years. In 1988, this Tunisian coach joined the national team of Bahrain but left there after a short time. In 2004, he moved back to Etoile du Sahel, where he had started his managerial career, and worked there for 1 season.

As a manager, Abdelmajid Chetali, who is among the best African coaches of all time, won 1 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, 2 Tunisian Cup titles, 1 Maghreb Champions Cup, and 1 Maghreb Cup Winners Cup with Etoile du Sahel, and 1 Palestine Cup of Nations with the national team of Tunisia.

Abdelhamid Kermali     

Abdelhamid Kermali is also one of the

best African managers of all time

. He was born in Akbou, Algeria on April 24, 1931 and died in Setif, Algeria on April 13, 2013. This former footballer played for USM Setif, USM Alger, FC Mulhouse, AS Cannes, Lyon, USM Setif, and ES Setif during his football career, winning 1 Algerian Cup title.

The managerial career of this Algerian coach started in 1966 with ES Setif, where he spent the 1966/67 season. In 1983, Kermali joined

and worked there for 6 years. After that, he was appointed as the manager of the national team of Algeria, where he coached until 1992.

In 1999, Kermali joined MC Alger but left there after a short time. In 2003, this Algerian manager moved to ES Setif, where he spent the 2003/04 season. Abdelhamid Kermali, who is one of the best African managers in history, won 1 African Cup of Nations and 1 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations with the national team of Algeria. He also won 1 Algerian League title during his managerial career.

Jomo Sono

The next manager on our list for the best African managers in history is the black prince of African football, Jomo Sono. This former player was born in Queenstown, South Africa on 17 July 1955 and began kicking the ball at Orlando Pirates. He also played for New York Cosmos, Colorado Caribous, Atlanta Chiefs, and Toronto Blizzard during his career.

After his football career finished, Sono established a club which is called Jomo Cosmos in 1983. Since then, he is the owner and the president of this club. This South African manager has also been managing this team since 1994.

Since its foundation, Jomo Cosmos has won 3 Telkom Knockout, 1 Nedbank Cup, 1 2nd Division, and 1 National Soccer League title.  

Stephen Keshi

The next name among the

best African managers of all time

is Stephen Keshi. He was born in Azare, Bauchi State, Nigeria on 23 January 1962 and died in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria on 7 June 2016. This former footballer started playing football professionally at ACB Lagos in 1979.

Keshi then kicked the ball for New Nigeria Bank, Stade d’Abidjan, Africa Sports, Lokeren, Anderlecht, Strasbourg, R.W.D Molenbeek, CCV Hydra, Sacramento Scorpions, and Perlis FA until he retired in 1998.

 As a player, Keshi won 2 West African Club Championship titles with New Nigeria Bank, 1 Coupe Houphoet Boigny with Stade d’Abidjan, 1 Cote d’Ivoire Premier Division, 1 Cote d’Ivoire Coupe, 1 West African Club Championship, and 1 Coupe Houphoet Boigny with Africa Sports, 2 Belgian First Division, 2 Belgian Cup, 1 Belgian Super Cup, and 1 Bruges Matins with Anderlecht, and 1 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.

The managerial career of this Nigerian manager started in 2004 with the national team of Togo. He coached them once from 2004 until 2006 and once again from 2007 until 2008. Keshi then moved to the national team of Mali and managed them until 2010.

In 2011, this Nigerian manager moved back to the national team of Togo, but left there after a short time and joined the national team of Nigeria. He worked there until 2014 and joined Nigeria once again in 2015, but left there after a short time.

As a manager, Stephen Keshi won 1 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria. It is interesting to know that he is one of only 2 people who have won this title both as a player and manager. This Nigerian manager also made Togo qualify for their only World Cup tournament, which was the World Cup 2006.

Rabah Saadane

The next manager on our list for the best African managers of all time is Rabah Saadane. This Algerian former footballer and manager was born in Batna, Algeria on 3 May 1946 and started playing football professionally at MSP Batna in 1964. Then he kicked the ball for MO Constantine, JS El Biar, and USM Blida until his career was ended in 1973 by a car accident.

In 1979, Saadane’s managerial career started and he managed Algeria U-20, the national team of Algeria,

, MC Alger, Al Najma, ES Sahel,

, Al Shabab, the national team of Yemen, ES Setif.

Rabah Saadane, who is one of the best African coaches of all time, led Algeria U-20 to qualify for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, which was the country’s first participation in a major tournament after gaining independence from France. He also won 1 African Cup of Champions Clubs with Raja Casablanca.

Mahmoud El-Gohari

The next name among the best African managers of all time is the Egyptian former footballer and manager, Mahmoud El-Gohari. He was born in Cairo, Egypt on 20 February 1938 and passed away in Amman, Jordan on 31 August 2012.

EL-Gohari began playing football at Al Ahly in 1955 and kicked the ball there until the end of his career in 1961. He won 5 Egyptian Premier League titles, 3 Egypt Cup, and 1 Cairo League with this club.

During his managerial career, which lasted from 1965 until 2007, El-Gohari coached

, Al Ahly, Al Sharjah,

, the national team of Egypt, Zamalek, Al Wahda, the national team of Oman, and the national team of Jordan.

Mahmoud El-Gohari, who is among the

greatest African coaches of all time

, won 1 Africa Cup of Nations and 1 Arab Cup of Nations with Egypt, 2 Egypt Premier League titles and 1 CAF Champions League with Al Ahly, and 1 CAF Champions League and 1 CAF Super Cup with Zamalek.

Hassan Shehata    

The last name on our list for the

best African managers of all time

is Hassan Shehata. This Egyptian former footballer and manager was born in Kafr El Dawwar, El Beheira, Egypt on 19 June 1949. At the youth level, he played for Kafr El Dawar and Zamalek and in 1967, his senior career started.

Shehata kicked the ball for Zamalek until 1969 and then joined Kazma, where he played until 1973. Then he moved back to Zamalek and played there until he retired in 1983.

During his time as a manager, Shehata coached Zamalek U-20, Al Wasl, Al Merreikh, Ittihad El Shorta, Al Ittihad Alexandria, El Minya, El Sharkia, El Shams, Al Ahly Benghazi, Suez, Al Fujairah, Dina Farms, Egypt U-20, El Mokawloon, the national team of Egypt, Zamalek, Al Arabi, Difaa El Jadidi, and Petrojet.

Hassan Shehata, who is among the best African managers ever, won 3 Africa Cup of Nation titles and 1 Egypt Cup during his career.

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