Pablo Longoria, the president of Olympique de Marseille, spoke to Canal+ Afrique about the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), the continent’s most prestigious tournament, which ended two weeks ago with Côte d’Ivoire’s victory over the Nigeria Super Eagles (2-1).
And it’s clear that the 38-year-old executive recognizes the importance of the tournament and even encourages reflection for French clubs to respect it more. “We must understand that the CAN is not the problem. We must respect the CAN. It is up to us, leaders of French football, to find a solution with the leagues,” he said. “Wishing for a team to be eliminated is something that bothers me. It’s true that you have to defend your interests, but respecting the competition and the players is something to consider.” Strong words as Marseille was particularly affected by the CAN, with no less than 7 players involved.
It is true that during each edition, French clubs view with disfavor the fact that some of their players leave to represent their country in the middle of the season. While during international breaks this usually isn’t an issue, the situation is quite different during the CAN, as the French leagues (Ligue 1, Ligue 2, National, and beyond) do not stop. Representing one’s country, especially in a tournament as prestigious as the CAN, should not be a problem and should rather be a source of pride for clubs. Hopefully, things will evolve in the future regarding this matter.
Longoria was in Abidjan during the CAN
As a reminder, Longoria was present in Abidjan during the 2023 CAN. “We came to explore and study important points for the post-CAN and for the future, regarding the various important sports infrastructures of the country. And especially to see how Olympique de Marseille can further anchor itself to participate in the development of football,” explained the native of Oviedo (Spain) in statements relayed by the Koaci website. He also expressed his pride that OM is an ambassador of the “Sublime Côte d’Ivoire” project, aimed at developing tourism in the land of the Elephants.
