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High-profile coaches Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz face each other today when Ivory Coast host Ghana as 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying kicks off.
This blockbuster West African showdown in Bouake between former champions is the highlight of the 24 matchday one fixtures.
Ghana have won the AFCON four times, but not since 1982. Renard led Ivory Coast to the second of their three African titles 11 years ago.
Renard also won the AFCON with Zambia in 2012 -one of the biggest shocks in the history of the 69-year competition.
Queiroz came closest to AFCON glory in 2022 with Egypt, who lost the final after a penalty shootout against Senegal. He watched from the stands due to a suspension.
After working with clubs in France, England and Vietnam, Renard has concentrated on national teams, also coaching Angola, Morocco, Saudi Arabia twice, France women and Tunisia.
He took charge of Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup after fellow Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi was axed following a 5-1 hiding from Sweden. They also lost to Japan and the Netherlands under Renard.
Ivory Coast did not renew the contract of 2024 AFCON-winning coach Emerse Fae after a last-32 World Cup loss to Norway, paving the way for Renard to return.
The Queiroz CV includes managing Real Madrid and he has been an assistant twice to former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
He took charge of Ghana just before the 2026 World Cup, transforming a struggling team into a combative, defensively strong unit. They were the only team to hold England goalless.
That defensive resilience is set to be tested again in the Ivory Coast, with the strike force options of Renard including Yan Diomande of Real Madrid and Bazoumana Toure of Newcastle.
A blow for Ghana was the withdrawal of injured Mohammed Kudus. The inventive Tottenham Hotspur midfielder also missed the World Cup.
Only four of the 10 coaches who began the 2026 World Cup in charge of African qualifiers remain: Queiroz, Hossam Hassan of Egypt, Mohamed Ouahbi of Morocco and Sebastien Desabre of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Those who quit, retired or were fired include Renard, Lamouchi, Fae, Vladimir Petkovic of Algeria, Hugo Broos of South Africa, Pape Thiaw of Senegal and Bubista of Cape Verde.