By VICTOR OKOYE

Reigning African champions, Cote d’Ivoire, has been thrown into mourning following the death of former AFCON 2023 Head Coach, Jean-Louis Gasset.

The Ivorian football family confirmed that the veteran French tactician died on Friday at the age of 72, with his former club, Montpellier, announcing his passing.

Gasset briefly led the Elephants at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Ivory Coast, a tournament that produced one of the most dramatic stories in AFCON history.

His tenure started amid high expectations but unravelled after a crushing 4–0 group-stage defeat to Equatorial Guinea, leaving Ivory Coast third and prompting his dismissal.

In spite of the setback, the Elephants qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams and went on to win the title under assistant coach Emerse Faé.

Though no longer in charge, Gasset’s early work and tactical foundation were widely credited as contributing to Ivory Coast’s remarkable title-winning resurgence.

In a statement, the Ivorian Football Federation described Gasset’s death as “a significant loss to Ivorian and international football.

“He was a man of principles and professional rigor, Jean-Louis Gasset left an indelible mark on the Elephants and played a decisive role in the success of Côte d’Ivoire at AFCON 2023.”

Gasset enjoyed a distinguished career in French football, playing exclusively for Montpellier before serving as assistant to Laurent Blanc at Bordeaux, the French national team and Paris Saint-Germain.

He later managed Montpellier, Saint-Étienne and Marseille, and remained involved in football as a pundit until recently. (NAN)