The Ivory Coast National Team has parted ways with its French Manager Patrice Beaumelle.
Beaumelle was a member of the Ivory Coast National Team that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations under French coach Herve Renard. In March 2020, the youthful coach took over the team, succeeding Brahim Kamara.
“The contract of Mr. Patrice Beaumelle, national coach of the senior team, ended on April 6, 2022 after 24 months,” the Ivorian Football Federation, FIF, said in a statement.
Beaumelle was a longtime assistant to compatriot Herve Renard, and the two led Zambia to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in 2012 and Ivory Coast to the trophy in 2015.
In March 2020, he was named head coach and had a mixed record with the Elephants.
Franck Kessie, Eric Bailly, Wilfried Zaha, Sebastien Haller, Nicolas Pepe, and Serge Aurier were among the European talents that were ousted by Egypt on penalties in the round of 16 of AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, failing to advance to the final African qualifying round for this year’s World Cup.
His successor’s name is unlikely to be revealed right away, as FIF will elect a new president on April 23.
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is one of six presidential candidates who have formally filed their candidacy.
Since 2020, the election has been continually postponed. FIFA placed FIF under monitoring in December 2020, and a “Normalisation Committee” was established to try to address the problem.
The next AFCON will be held in Ivory Coast from June 23 to July 23, 2023.
