It took him less than a year to find new functions on a bench. After the failure with Cameroon during the last African Cup of Nations, which led to his departure on February 28, Rigobert Song is embarking on a new challenge with the Central African Republic. A decree from the Central African Minister of Sports was issued to this effect on Monday.
The former defender from Metz, Lens, and Liverpool (137 caps with Cameroon) succeeds Sébastien Ngato, who has been acting since October after the departure of Raoul Savoy, dismissed after the non-qualification of CAN 2025, which will take place in Morocco next December. He will be assisted by the same Ngato, accompanied by Éloge Enza-Yamissi and the Frenchman Éric Caballero.
The Federation wanted to “nationalize the position of coach of the Fauves”
Song’s mission is simple: if possible, qualify the Central African Republic, 135th nation in the latest FIFA rankings, for CAN 2027. Not so obvious since the “Fauves du Bas Oubangui”, led by Marseillais Geoffrey Kondogbia, are currently last in group B qualifiers for the upcoming CAN, with only one victory in six matches and only three goals scored.
However, there remains one last doubt to be resolved, and not the least, in the appointment of Rigobert Song. The Central African Football Federation reacted in a press release by explaining that it did not recognize the arrival of Rigobert Song as the coach of the national team A, arguing that they learned of this arrival “with dismay and surprise through social networks”.
She therefore explains that she “does not recognize this unilateral decision” because she had “decided to nationalize the position of coach of Fauves A”.
