As the countdown continues to Monday’s high-stakes 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier between Ghana and Mali in Accra, Eagles boss Tom Saintfiet has dropped a revelation that adds spice to the clash: he nearly became the head coach of the Black Stars earlier this year.

The Belgian tactician, who rose to prominence after guiding The Gambia to the AFCON 2021 quarterfinals, confirmed that he held lengthy discussions with the Ghana Football Association following Ghana’s disappointing group-stage exit at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast. That exit cost Chris Hughton his job, and Saintfiet emerged as one of the names on Ghana’s shortlist.

> “It’s true that around AFCON, there were talks… I felt I was close to the Black Stars job,” Saintfiet revealed.
“I spoke for about four hours with the Ghana Federation—Kurt [Okraku] and Mark [Addo], the President and Vice President. But in the end, they decided to go with another coach.”

Instead of leading Ghana, the 51-year-old was unveiled as Mali’s new manager on August 28, replacing Eric Chelle. Since then, Saintfiet has enjoyed a dream start, going six matches unbeaten and reigniting Mali’s hopes of booking a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Now, fate has brought him face-to-face with the very team he almost coached. Monday night at the Accra Sports Stadium, the Black Stars and the Eagles battle not only for points but also for pride—with Saintfiet right at the center of the storyline.