IVORY Coast’s players, coaches, and officials were showered with cash and villas by President Alassane Ouattara, after they won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The host nation beat Nigeria 2-1 in a final at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, thanks to a late goal by Sébastien Haller.
The president congratulated the team and awarded them medals and honours. He also announced that each player would receive $82,000 and a villa worth a similar amount, as a token of appreciation.
“You have brought happiness to all Ivorians, bravo, bravo,” Ouattara said.
The runners-up Nigeria also received generous rewards from their own president, Bola Tinubu. He gave them one of the country’s highest honours, the Member of the Order of the Niger, as well as an apartment and a piece of land near the capital, Abuja. The third-placed South Africa also received about $52,000 per player, according to local media.
The prize money from the Africa Cup of Nations has also increased by 40% since the last tournament. The winners got $7 million, the runners-up got $4 million, and the semi-finalists got $2.5 million each.
A historic win
The victory was Ivory Coast’s third Africa Cup of Nations title, after wins in 1992 and 2015, both on penalties. It was also the first time the country hosted and won the continental tournament, which attracted a record number of viewers worldwide, with almost two billion people watching the games.
The final was a tense and thrilling affair, as Nigeria took the lead in the 38th minute through captain William Troost-Ekong, who headed in a corner. The Super Eagles had beaten Ivory Coast 1-0 in the group stage and looked set to repeat the feat.
But the Elephants showed determination and equalized in the 62nd minute through Franck Kessié, who fired a low shot from the edge of the box. The momentum shifted in favour of the hosts, who pressed for the winner.
It came in the 81st minute when Haller tapped in from close range after a cross from Maxwel Cornet. The striker, who had recovered from an ankle injury, scored his second goal in as many games and sent the home crowd into ecstasy.
The win sparked jubilant scenes across the country, as fans celebrated in the streets, fan zones, and viewing areas. This win also may have boosted the confidence and the popularity of Ivory Coast among the live bet enthusiasts, who may be more inclined to bet on the team in future tournaments.
A personal triumph for Faé and Haller
The win was also a personal triumph for interim coach Emerse Faé, who took over the team midway through the tournament, after the dismissal of the previous coach.
Faé, a former Ivory Coast midfielder who had to retire early due to health issues, said the victory was a “revenge” for him.
“It is a revenge for me, on football and life in general, because I had to stop playing at 28 as it was jeopardising my health. Since then, I have decided I was going to win every trophy as a manager that I did not win as a player. I had this idea in mind for a very long time,” Faé said.
Haller also had a remarkable story, as he returned to the pitch just over a year after undergoing chemotherapy for testicular cancer. He missed the group stage due to an ankle injury but came back to score the decisive goals in the semifinal and the final.
“We dreamed of this moment so many times. We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn’t an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what’s happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good,” Haller said after the game.