Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has refuted rumours that he aspires to lead Fifa, the world football governing body, in the future.
On Thursday, CAF and the new MultiChoice owner Canal+ announced that all 52 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) matches will be shown live on SuperSport in December and January.
Shortly after the signing of the broadcasting deal between Motsepe and Canal+ CEO David Mignot, the former boss of Mamelodi Sundowns expressed his excitement about being a part of African football.
Motsepe gives credit to his team
“When I came in, one of the journalists said he heard that people have been asking me to be the president of Fifa in the future, and I told him that it does not excite me; Africa does,” Motsepe said.
“Being a part of African football is one of the things that keeps me up, and I always look at Africa in a broader context.”
He continued: “I must say that no leader succeeds on his own. The credit goes to the talented people I’ve had the pleasure of working with since I came on board as CAF president.
“So, the key trait of a leader is their ability to attract the brightest people, motivate them, develop them, and pay them well.”
Re-elected CAF boss unopposed
Earlier this year, Motsepe was re-elected as CAF president unopposed during the 14th Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt. He will hold office for a further four years, until 2029, for the duration of his second term.
Under his leadership, CAF has made significant progress both on and off the field.
Motsepe is confident that the Afcon finals, which will take place in Morocco from December 21 to January 18, will be a memorable event.
“We must trust our people to host outstanding tournaments, like in Cote d’Ivoire. Let me confess, as the CAF president, I need the best playing facilities, stadiums, hotels, hospitals, and roads.
“Second, I must develop football in all parts of the continent—that’s why I’m rotating [the staging of the Afcon finals]. Every zone has to have an opportunity to host,” Motsepe said.
