Corentin Martins appointed new coach of Madagascar

Former French international footballer, Corentin Martins was appointed as the head coach of Madagascar on Thursday, 30 January.

His main goal: to qualify the Barea for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. "The objectives are short-term. Because I have signed a one-year contract with the national team," he clarified during his press conference.

A distant but achievable dream:

Presented at the Barea Stadium in Antananarivo, Martins expressed his wish, saying: "We will try to achieve this goal that seems unimaginable, to take Madagascar to the World Cup." After four matches in Group I of the qualifiers, Madagascar is in 3rd place, two points behind the Comoros.

No stranger to African football:

At 55 years old, Corentin Martins is well-acquainted with African football. He has previously coached Libya and, most notably, Mauritania, leading them to two consecutive TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations appearances (2019 and 2021).

More recently, he has managed two clubs in Algeria, CR Belouizdad as well as Paradou AC.