Four days to go: 'We want Mauritania to be proud of our CHAN performance' - Garai

Mauritania’s local national team coach, Aritz López Garai, says his squad is determined to make the country proud as they prepare for the upcoming TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.

The Spanish tactician is overseeing preparations for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2 to 30 August 2025.

Mauritania has qualified for their fourth CHAN appearance, and expectations are high following their impressive quarter-final finish in the 2022 edition in Algeria.

Drawn into a challenging Group B alongside hosts Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, and the Central African Republic, the Mourabitounes face a difficult path to the knockout stages.

But López Garai remains optimistic, saying the team is training with intensity and clarity of purpose.

This will be the Spaniard’s first major continental tournament in Africa, and he is embracing the challenge with calm focus and deep motivation.

His main goal? To ensure Mauritania’s fans and football authorities feel proud watching their team on the continental stage.

Below is a Cafonline.com exclusive Q&A with Mauritania coach Artiz Lopez Garai.

CAFONLINE.COM: How are your preparations going for the TotalEnergies CHAN 2024?

Aritz López Garai: We are preparing well, with great seriousness and daily commitment. The players are following a solid training programme and playing friendly matches against strong opponents.

CAFONLINE.COM: Mauritania is participating in CHAN for the fourth time. How do you assess your chances in Group B?

López Garai: I think the draw is a difficult one. Having one of the host nations in our group makes things even more complex. We respect all our opponents, but we hope to qualify for the next round of the competition.

CAFONLINE.COM: Your best CHAN performance came in Algeria when Mauritania reached the quarter-finals. Does that motivate the team to go even further this time?

López Garai: Improving on our previous performance is a great motivation, but it’s also a major challenge. The circumstances are very different now. Last time, we were in a three-team group and played just two matches. This time, we are in a group of five and will play four very tough games. Let’s not forget, we qualified by unexpectedly eliminating Mali in the previous round.

CAFONLINE.COM: This will be your first major continental tournament in Africa. What are your expectations?

López Garai: I’m approaching it with calmness and responsibility. Representing Mauritania in a major competition makes me feel proud and happy. I am convinced we will have a great tournament, because I see the players full of enthusiasm and confidence.

CAFONLINE.COM: What are your personal objectives with the team during CHAN 2024, especially as fans are still disappointed by the team’s absence from AFCON 2025?

López Garai: Our main goal is to make the Mauritanian people and our football authorities proud of our performance. In football, almost anything is possible. But our key objective is to be a competitive team with a clear identity, and to make Mauritania proud whenever they see us play.