As Senegal continues to savour the Teranga Lions’ success at the just-concluded African Nations Cup in Morocco, the Chief Executive Officer of Monimichelle Sports, Ebi Egbe, says the victory is not a fluke, but a reward for long-term planning and investment.
 
Amidst drama, Senegal defeated hosts, Morocco, 1-0 to win the AFCON title on Sunday night in Rabat.
 
Egbe told The Guardian, yesterday, that Senegal’s victory is the direct outcome of a deliberate, long-term investment in football infrastructure, systems and governance.
 
“Senegal remains the only country in West Africa that has consistently treated football as an ecosystem, not just a national team project,” Egbe said. “From standardised training centres and elite academies, to modern stadiums, technical development hubs, and structured youth pipelines, Senegal built the foundation first, and the results are now speaking loudly.
 
“What we are witnessing today is a return on investment in infrastructure. By contrast, much of West African football, including Nigeria, has relied too heavily on raw talent, foreign exposure, and last-minute tournament preparations, while neglecting the science of football development,” he said.
 
According to him, “Talent without infrastructure has a ceiling. Infrastructure without sentiment delivers sustained success.”