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CAF
a day ago
- Sport
- CAF
Malete's Method
Among the whispers of African Women's Football, one name is beginning to make a name for itself: Alex Malete. On Sunday, July 13th, at the Père Jégo Stadium in Casablanca, the Botswana coach gave his country much more than a simple comeback. At 35, he achieved his first major coaching feat by guiding the Mares to a stunning victory against Tunisia (2-1) in the final matchday of Group B of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2025. But this success is above all the fruit of a method, patiently implemented by Alex Malete. "All the credit goes to the players" He is the first to say so. At the post-match press conference, with a wry smile and a calm voice despite the emotion, Alex Malete immediately steps aside: "All the credit goes to the players. They believed, they responded, they dared." A posture that speaks volumes about his leadership style. This coach, who has worked on television sets, radio stations, and school benches before settling on the women's national team bench, cultivates a rare form of humility. "What you see on the pitch is the result of alchemy. I'm there to create the conditions. But they are the ones who write the story." These words, spoken inside the walls of the Père Jégo Stadium after the decisive victory against Tunisia, resonate like a manifesto of his method. For Malete is not a fan of confrontation. He prefers to convince, suggest, and engage in dialogue. "I talk a lot with my players, to find out how they feel, gauge their determination, and get details that allow me to create a sense of osmosis." Another Life Before the Bench Alex Malete has lived more than one life. A FIFA and CAF-certified instructor, sports journalist for a Botswana channel, video analyst, and then assistant to Gaolethoo Nkutlwisang on the Mares bench before taking the reins. This breadth of experience has shaped him. He understands stories, images, and team dynamics. "He has this knack for reading players," says Unoda Chepete, Mares physiotherapist. "He knows what to say, but more importantly, how and when to say it." Since being appointed head coach at the end of 2023, Malete has given himself one mission: to inspire enthusiasm. A desire to play, to run, to inspire a country. To achieve this, he has taken his time. Individual interviews, team meetings, off-the-ball sessions to learn how to communicate... And above all, one watchword: trust. "He asked us to have fun" Down 1-0 at halftime against Tunisia, with their backs against the wall, Botswana could have given in. Elimination loomed. But in the locker room, not a word was spoken. No anger. "He just asked us to have fun," says Lesego Radiakanyo, goal scorer and TotalEnergies Woman of the Match. "He told us that the work had been done beforehand, that we just had to let loose, and that the goals would come." A simple, almost disarming, but incredibly effective message. In the second half, the Mares were transformed. Two goals, a renewed intensity, and above all, this feeling of playing "like in training, but with heart," in the words of captain Sedilame Boseja. The School of Detail The Malete method also involves obsessive attention to detail. A4 sheets of paper annotated by his own hand, individualized video sessions, GPS data used to adjust training load on a case-by-case basis. He's a technician, but he refuses to be a mere strategist. What matters is inner transformation. "If you believe you can do it, you will," he likes to tell his players. A sequel to be written Thanks to this victory against the Carthage Eagles, Botswana has a real chance of reaching the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024. All that is missing is a favourable result: a draw between Ghana and Tanzania. A scenario that was still unimaginable a few days ago. But for Malete, nothing is set in stone. "We haven't proven anything yet," the coach reminds us. "This tournament is above all a learning curve. If we get past the first round, it will be a great reward." But my real goal is for the team to emerge from this competition with experience and maturity, regardless of the final ranking." It remains to be seen whether this patiently implemented method will withstand the pressure of the top level. What is certain is that Botswana is no longer moving forward in the shadows.
CAF
06-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Mama Diop, a Red-Hot Lioness
It only took two flashes of lightning. Two crisp strikes, sleek bodywork and complete control of the opponent's box. In an hour of play, Mama Diop transformed the green rectangle of the El Bachir stadium in Mohammedia into a territory under control. Against the Democratic Republic of Congo (4-0), the Senegalese striker did not just shine: she radiated, electrified the stands, and shattered the Congolese defense. Voted TotalEnergies Woman of the Match, the 30-year-old Lioness delivered a recital that read like a manifesto. A touch of Rashidi Yekini There is something timeless about Mama Diop's style. A very particular way of sensing the goal. Of haunting the box. Of making her stature (1.85m) a constant threat. Powerful, ferocious, sharp in her movements, deliberate in her final move, the former RC Lens player seems inhabited by a collective memory. That of Africa's great nines. That of Rashidi Yekini. "I did not know him, but I know Rashidi Yekini is a legend," she breathes, her gaze fixed and her smile wry. "If my style can resemble his, it is a huge honour. But I want to write my own chapter." The opposite is true. Like Yekini, Nigeria's legendary goalscorer and scorer of the Super Eagles' first World Cup goal (1994), Mama Diop does not mince words. She does not mince her words. She is lethal in her approach. Her game is frontal, vertical, raw. She does not dribble to seduce, she eliminates to strike. With a fixed gaze and a confident gait, she marches toward the goal like a wild beast toward its prey. "I like to feel like I'm scary in the box," she says bluntly. "That is where I feel alive. Where I can give my all." The Lionesses' coach, Mame Moussa Cissé, does not hide his admiration: "She is a player who attracts everyone. A gravitational force. She commands immediate respect. And when she is having a good day, it is immediately evident." Silence and rigor 'In the locker room, we do not hear her often. But we always watch her. Mama Diop is one of those players who speaks little and hits hard. First to warm up, last to leave the weight room. An obsessive professional, attentive, disciplined, and uncompromising with herself. "She's a true Lioness," reveals Ndeye Awa Diakhaté. "She pushes you to surpass yourself. She does not give up. When she is there, you know that nothing is impossible." Bred and trained in Senegal, discovered in France, and played for Toulouse, Arras, Orléans, and then Lens, the Olympique de Marseille striker had no shortcuts. She had to earn her place and make a name for herself. Objective: Top of the scorers' rankings Two goals against DR Congo, a technical and physical demonstration, and above all, a clear message: Mama Diop did not come here to play catchup. At 30, the Guéréo native wants to make history, to write her name at the top. And why not finish as the tournament's top scorer? "When I start a competition, it is to go all the way. Team or individual trophies are what keep me going." Wednesday against Zambia, led by Barbra Banda—another giant of African Football and a formidable striker—a top scorer is looming. A high-intensity duel. Diop knows the stakes. And the anticipation. "I have a lot of respect for Banda but I will take this match as a personal challenge. If I want to be the best, this is the kind of match I have to dominate." Mama Diop is more than just a striker. She is a statement. The statement of African Women's Football that is emancipating itself, asserting itself, and establishing its own role models. If Rashidi Yekini's roar is history, Mama Diop's no longer evokes a promise: it heralds an era.
