By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
When Madagascar defeated Nigeria in their final game at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, they surpassed every expectation that anyone had about them. For a team that is making its debut in this tournament, they have found themselves in the quarter finals. Their performance has shown us all that beating Nigeria was not just a flash in the pan, but a sign of remarkable progress.
This is a country that is known for pristine beaches and wonderful touristic sites, not football. Football is big in Madagascar, but they haven’t been successful at it.
This Madagascar team has shone in Egypt despite their football being on life support from Zurich. Last year FIFA had to step in to form a normalization committee on the island to steer the body to elections, amidst bitter controversy within the FA.
Sierra Leone is in a similar situation with Madagascar, but the Malagasies have ripped themselves through this chaos.
Their story is the African version of Iceland in the 2016 EUROS. The difference here is that Madagascar don’t have the sophisticated football infrastructure that Iceland have. But they have done just fine with hard work and passion.
How did they get here?
Madagascar first stole the headlines in 2018, when they were the first team to qualify for this year’s continental showpiece. Before then their biggest result was a 1-0 win against Egypt in the 2004 AFCON qualifiers.
"We started to become known last year," the coach Nicolas Dupuis said. "We drew 2-2 with Senegal and were first to qualify for [the Africa Cup of Nations], which raised our profile.” He was quoted by Guardian UK.
To get themselves just to Egypt for this tournament was history. To get to the quarterfinals is just a bigger place in history for them. Whatever happens from now onwards, they are already over achievers.
Coach Dupuis is a French schoolteacher who is also managing a third-tier side in France. He is doing so simultaneously with the Madagascar job.
As expected, Dupuis has been proud of what they have achieved together. “I have more of a team than individuals. I am proud of the players who give me a lot of emotion. There is simply the desire to make the Malagasy people very proud. They need it.”
Malagsy player, Pascal Razakanantenaina summed up the team’s success in these words.
“With this feat, we provided a little happiness to the Malagasy. We cried with joy.”
The teams famous chant “Barea vonona”, which means “Berea area are ready”, has been the theme chant of Malagsy fans in Egypt.
The road ahead
Madagascar now face Tunisia. The test can only get tougher. But Tunisia is not a sterner test compared to what Madagascar have already dealt with. Madagascar drew with Guinea and defeated Burundi and Nigeria all in the group stage. In the round of 16 they drew 2-2 with DR Congo and ended on winning on penalties.
They will not be complacent, but they know they have a fair chance to continue their dream. In fact, there is a feeling around the camp already that they could go all the way to the finals.
"In my opinion, we can reach the final," says midfielder Arohasina Andrianarimanana.
He added: "The coach has created such a good mentality and Madagascar are up. Look at the Nigeria game: everyone predicted we would lose 4-0. Now watch the game and see what happened. Everyone is confident that we can go all the way through. It would be historic," as quoted by Guardian UK.
Dupuis has credited the success of this team to the possession football they have adopted, “The football of Madagascar is a football of possession; you have to look after the ball, play with technique. But you also need tactical rigor and defensive discipline to go with the individual skill. We have been trying to install that in training since I came here: that tactical application, while keeping our technique in possession. We did it enormously against Nigeria, and that's us."
Madagascar have never faced Tunisia in any fixture. This can be an advantage and disadvantage to both teams. But Tunisia must have been keeping tabs on Madagascar’s progress.
It’s fair to say they will not underrate this Madagascar side by any chance.
No matter what happens now with Madagascar’s wild dream in Egypt, they will never be forgotten. Whenever they return home, either with the trophy or not, the whole nation will be proud of how far they’ve come.
But like many other African teams before them, they will have to show that this year’s performance is not just a good fortune. They will need to build on it and the road towards that construction will be youth football.
Dupuis has sometimes expressed frustration in the past about the lack of a solid youth system in Malagasy football. His contract expires after this tournament, if he wants to stay, the FA may have to convince him with a solid plan.
So far, he has done well with what he has. Next up will be World Cup qualifiers. And who can rule out another miracle for this Malagasy team?
Berea Vonona!
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