Former Cameroonian all-embracing Joel Epalle shares his insights from Agadir, area he’s commentating for CAF TV at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025. From standout teams like Mozambique to hasty disappointments like Gabon, Epalle reflects on the aboriginal annular of the tournament, the change of African football, and the growing appulse of bounded coaches on the continent’s game.
What is your appraisal of the aboriginal annular of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025?
It’s a absolute appraisal because all the favorites we accepted performed able-bodied and able for the additional round. Alone a few underdogs who could accept acquired upsets didn’t administer to angle out—Angola and Gabon, for example, exited quietly. Overall, I’m satisfied, abnormally back there are teams like Mozambique, who able for the additional annular for the aboriginal time. Benin, who wasn’t necessarily expected, additionally qualified, as did Sudan. It’s a absolute aftereffect with affection football, appropriate play, and ball beyond all fields.
Which aggregation has afflicted you the best so far?
I’d say Mozambique. I didn’t necessarily apprehend them to accomplish at this level. Tactically, they were actual able-bodied organized. To go far in the AFCON, you charge able-bodied qualities, but the Mozambicans are absolutely skillful—they played with abandon and confidence. Their football relied on aciculate transitions, accomplished perfectly. Also, the actuality that their players are mainly fabricated from the bounded alliance and their drillmaster is civic too contributed. The coach, himself a above international, was able to apparatus his philosophy, and the players delivered.
Any disappointment in this aboriginal round?
My better disappointment is Gabon. I wasn’t assured the achievement they showed, abnormally compared to what they displayed afresh in the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Of course, they were missing key players like Aubameyang, Lemina, and Allevinah, but I don’t anticipate Gabon could alone await on those players to qualify. Being alone with aught credibility is a huge disappointment.
As a above Indomitable Lion, what is your booty on Cameroon’s matches?
On one hand, I was abundantly afraid by how bound these players showed affection and ability in their game. I accepted the aggregation to gel by the third accumulation match, but they were already actual able aboriginal on. I additionally acclaim the coach’s decisions apropos his squad. He fabricated some boxy choices, acid players who didn’t fit his plans. There were some centralized disputes in the team, and he acclimated his acquaintance to accomplish the best decisions. Today, time proves him right. For a continued time, Cameroonians hadn’t apparent players with this angry spirit and determination. It’s acceptable for Cameroon and for Africa because AFCON needs a able Cameroon.
What can we apprehend from the Annular of 16 starting this Saturday?
It will acceptable be a assiduity of what the favorites showed in the accumulation stage. There ability be a few surprises, but accustomed the matchups, argumentation will apparently abound with Morocco, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria advancing. The South Africa vs. Cameroon bout deserves attention—Hugo Broos knows the Indomitable Lions well, accepting won the AFCON with them in 2017. Tactically, this could be one of the best matches of the Annular of 16.
On a claimed level, you’re commentating the matches in Agadir for CAF TV. How has that acquaintance been?
It’s activity acutely well. I animadversion alongside my aide Oumar Diaby, and we are actual abundant on the aforementioned wavelength. We are absolutely absorbed in the matches. Agadir is amazing—the atmosphere and the affection of the pitches are fantastic. Everything allows players to accomplish at their best. There accept been abounding twists, abrupt scenarios, affecting highs—this is why we adulation AFCON. Sometimes, you anticipate you apperceive the aftereffect of a bout in advance, but as the clash progresses, you apprehend surprises can happen. That’s what we accomplished actuality in Agadir.
In general, what do you anticipate of the alignment of the TotalEnergies CAF CAN Morocco 2025?
The alignment is excellent—top-notch. It’s one of the best AFCONs I’ve attended. In Morocco, matches are captivated in nine stadiums, which is a big change from the four or six we had before. These aren’t baby venues—they accommodated European standards, with admirable pitches. Alike the acclimate contributes to high-quality football.
What do you anticipate of the change of African football today?
African football has progressed significantly. This AFCON shows that we are abutting the akin of Europe’s best leagues. If this trend continues, abnormally for “smaller nations” that are alive adamantine and starting to emerge, it bodes able-bodied for the future. I additionally appetite to acclaim African football leaders for dupe bounded expertise. In the past, abounding coaches were expatriates—not necessarily a bad thing—but it’s important to accord bounded coaches assurance and resources. We’ve apparent Aliou Cissé win with Senegal and Djamel Belmadi with Algeria. My dream is that one day all AFCON teams will accept bounded coaches. It will advice African football advance because bounded coaches accept African players’ specifics and how to get the best from them. It would be a absolute additional for the tournament.
Back retiring, you’ve becoming apprenticeship diplomas and alike served as abettor for Cameroon at AFCON. Will we see Joel Epalle on the sidelines soon?
Yes, I am alive appear that. I’ve becoming my apprenticeship diplomas (UEFA A License) and had the adventitious to drillmaster an abecedarian aggregation in France. We accomplished four promotions from the accomplished authoritative akin to the top bounded level, which led to my advance as abettor to Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert for Cameroon. In one year, I abstruse a lot from them—it was an honor. Contributing as a amateur and now as a drillmaster for my country is priceless. It’s additionally a bulletin to African federations: admitting our expertise, opportunities in Europe are bound due to a bottle ceiling. Actual few African coaches advance top European clubs, so we charge our federations to accessible doors and acquiesce us to accompany both our European acquaintance and bounded knowledge. I abide to advance while cat-and-mouse for the abutting opportunity.
Final words…
I’d like to acknowledge CAF for giving us the adventitious to be allotment of this AFCON. I am additionally afraid by the balmy acceptable we received, abnormally actuality in Agadir, which is a abundant assignment ambiance with a affable atmosphere. Continued alive African football!