AFCON 2023: everything you need to know about Mali
All the information you need to get up to speed on Mali at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
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Capital: Bamako
Area: 1,241,234 km2
Population: 21,800,000 inhabitants
Official languages: Bambara, Bomu, Bozo, Dogon, Fula, Soninke, Songhay, Senufo-Mamara, Syenara, Tuareg, Hassaniya, Khassonke, Malinke (since January 2023)
Demonym: Malian
Motto: One people, One goal, One faith
Team nickname: The Eagles
- Mali and AFCON
Titles: 0
Finals: 1
Appearances before AFCON 2023: 12
As host nation: 1
1972: runners-up
1994: semi-finalists
2002: semi-finalists
2004: semi-finalists
2008: group stage
2010: group stage
2012: semi-finalists
2013: semi-finalists
2015: group stage
2017: group stage
2019: round of 16
2021: round of 16
- AFCON overall record
49 matches
17 wins
17 draws
15 defeats
58 goals scored
58 goals conceded
🇲🇱Mali head coach Eric Chelle has finally settled on a squad of 27 players for his first Africa Cup of Nations. What can we learn from the group heading to Ivory Coast for AFCON 2023?
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Born in Bamako, Mali, Hamari Traoré is a genuine product of the country. He came through at JMG Bamako and then USFAS before heading to France (Paris FC) in 2013. The right-back has represented Mali since 2015. He is about to play in his 4th Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. At 31, he has 45 caps and is captain of the national team. Hamari Traoré stands out in particular for his commitment, his discipline and his marauding runs down the right flank.
At club level, he has played for Stade de Reims and Stade Rennais, among others. He has been at Real Sociedad since last summer, where he has also established himself as an undisputed starter (21 starts in 24 matches in all competitions).
- The head coach: Eric Chelle
Eric Chelle is a former Mali international (5 caps). A coach since 2015, the 46-year-old took charge of Mali on 6 May 2022 after spells at FC Martinique and US Boulogne. Since then, he has guided the Eagles of Mali to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and made a good start to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup (one win, one draw).
Eric Chelle has 5 wins, one draw and one defeat in 7 matches, a fairly satisfactory record. In Ivory Coast, the country where he was born, he will try to take Mali back to the final and win a first star that has eluded them for several editions now.