The Comoros are aiming for significant achievements with their women's national team. Since taking charge, Youssouf Abdallah has been working to structure the team. The long-term ambition is to elevate it to the same level as the men's team.
Modest beginnings
In an interview about the Cœlacanthes Dames, the coach shared his ambitions and goals with Foot Mercato. “The federation contacted me in February. It was to participate in the COSAFA in South Africa, but we preferred to structure ourselves properly first. We took the time to establish a staff, reconnect with former players, and those who had not been called up,” he explains. He admits that his team is not yet a power in African women's football. However, he knows how to progress. “We had a base at Regional 1 level (D4). We are now beyond the third division (D3), and we expect players from the first and second divisions. There is interesting potential with dual nationals. At least ten players could come to help us. We were not participating or very rarely in competitions. Some girls wanted to wait a year or two to see if continuity was established before joining the team. It is essential for the federation to organize gatherings on every FIFA date to convince those who have not yet made the leap. Unfortunately, when I was appointed, the first gathering in April took place a year after the last gathering of the women’s team. We want to catch up on this delay; we will meet and progress,” he adds.
Visible results, eyes on the 2028 Women's AFCON
Upon his arrival, Youssouf Abdallah inherited a project that needed rebuilding. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the task and is already seeing results. The recent performances of his team give him confidence in his direction. “We were ranked 48th when I took over the team. We have gained two places. We hope to gain between 2 and 5 more by the end of the year. The goal is to become a mid-level team on the continent. We lost 2-0 to Benin and suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Tunisia. This marked the beginning of this change. People thought we would suffer humiliation, but we are satisfied with this gathering, which was the start of a beautiful adventure,” he states. Youssouf Abdallah aims to lead the Cœlacanthes Dames to the 2028 Women's AFCON. The team will face Nigeria in the first round of the qualifiers. However, the coach remains optimistic. “The upcoming test is a great opportunity. Facing Nigeria, despite their average performance in the AFCON, will be difficult. They are champions playing in the best European clubs. They have won 10 AFCON titles. We still need to progress, organize gatherings, and qualify for an AFCON. The goal is to achieve good results and especially qualify for the 2028 AFCON. If we can advance during these preliminary rounds for the Olympic Games, we will. The next challenge will be very demanding, and we are aware of this difficulty. It is crucial to take a step forward by playing complete matches,” he emphasizes.
Great ambitions
In the long term, the goal is to bring the Comoros women's national team to the same level as the men's team, as the coach stated to Foot Mercato. “The federation has taken the necessary measures to become known through the A team. Now that this is done, it is essential to replicate this like the men. The people involved in this project are striving to reach this level. This is exactly it; the idea is to do as the boys do at our scale with an attractive style of play. A united team, humble like the Comorian people. Being humble is part of our DNA while also being competitors,” he concludes.
