Africa: Mauritania Parts Ways With Coach Amir Abdou

The Mauritania Football Federation (FFRIM) has announced the mutual termination of its contract with national team coach Amir Abdou following the team's failure to qualify for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

The FFRIM expressed its gratitude to Abdou for his contributions to Mauritanian football during his tenure with both the senior and local national teams, noting his past successes.

Mauritania's national team, the Mourabitounes, finished third in Group C of the qualifiers with seven points, behind group winners Egypt (14 points) and runners-up Botswana (8 points).

This marked the first time Mauritania failed to qualify for the AFCON since their debut in the tournament's finals in 2019.

The statement read: "The FFRIM board held an emergency meeting chaired by President Ahmed Ould Yahya to review the national teams' performances, especially in light of the senior team's failure to qualify for AFCON 2025.

"The board approved the mutual agreement to part ways with coach Amir Abdou and expressed its deep appreciation for his contributions, including reaching the second round of AFCON 2023 and the quarterfinals of the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN)."

In the same announcement, the FFRIM revealed the appointment of Spanish coach Aritz López Garai to lead the local national team ahead of the upcoming CHAN qualifiers.

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