The Malian Football Federation (Femafoot) has unveiled Belgian tactician Tom Saintfiet as the new head coach of the national team, mere days before their crucial 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign kicks off.
The announcement, made on Wednesday evening, ends weeks of speculation and underscores the federation's bid to steady the ship ahead of the qualifiers.
Femafoot confirmed Saintfiet's appointment on its social media handles, ending a selection process that reportedly considered six candidates.
The Belgian emerged victorious from a shortlist that included high-profile names such as Antonio Conceiçao, Hector Cùper, and Pitso Mosimane.
Saintfiet's contract, a two-year deal with the possibility of extension, comes with lofty expectations.
The appointment marks a significant shift from Saintfiet's recent role with the Philippines national team, a position he took up in February just after leaving Gambia.
His decision to activate a clause allowing him to return to African football underscores the allure and challenge of managing one of the continent's sleeping giants.
Femafoot has set ambitious targets for the new coach, including reaching the semi-finals of AFCON 2025 in Morocco and securing Mali's qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
🚨 Tom Saintfiet (51 ans) sera le nouveau sélectionneur du Mali ! 🇲🇱
Le coach Belge Il était notamment le dernier coach de la Gambie pic.twitter.com/sbWeS4LNKU
— Les Aigles Du Mali 🇲🇱🦅 (@AiglesDuMali_) August 28, 2024
The Belgian inherits a team laden with talented players plying their trade with some of the top leagues in the world so expectation is high among the fans.
With qualifiers against Mozambique (September 6th in Bamako) and Eswatini (September 9th in Mbombela, South Africa) looming large, the new coach is expected to hit the ground running.
The federation's decision to appoint him so close to these crucial fixtures speaks volumes about the side's ambitions ahead of the qualifiers.
Saintfiet, 51, brings a wealth of African football experience to the role, having previously guided Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi, Togo, and most notably, Gambia.
His tenure with the Scorpions saw him orchestrate a historic AFCON qualification in 2021, followed by a remarkable quarter-final run.
However, it's his ability to navigate the difficulties of selecting the best players among the array of Mali's talents may prove most valuable in his new role.
Saintfiet's immediate task will be to assess his squad and devise a strategy for the upcoming qualifiers.