Mali — Anthony Da Silva: ‘With me, attitude is non-negotiable’

Two wins, then a draw: Mali beat Cape Verde 3–1 and Liberia 1–0 in AFCON 2027 qualifying before holding Morocco to a 1–1 friendly draw in Tangier. In this SNA interview, Anthony Da Silva explains how he wants to build a side that plays on the front foot. Competition, discipline and handling difficult spells are central to his approach.

‘I want a team that takes control of the game’

How do you assess your first camp in charge of the Eagles?

The results are positive, but I am more interested in what we have built. We won two important games and drew with a very good Morocco team. Above all, we have started laying foundations. I do not want the results to make us lower our standards. We still have a lot to improve in our play, our behaviour and our mindset. Every camp has to help us move forward.

After beating Cape Verde 3–1, Mali had a tougher time in Liberia, winning 1–0. What do you make of the difference in performance?

Every game has its own demands. You have to adapt to the opposition, the conditions and the challenges they pose. But adapting does not mean abandoning our identity. I want a team that plays forward, takes the initiative and dictates the game. Then we need the intelligence to find the best solutions for the players and the situation.

Does that hard-earned win in Liberia also show a team learning how to win?

Yes. A team that wants to go far has to win in different ways. Some games we will play very well and create plenty of chances. Others will demand patience, solidity and a willingness to dig in. What matters is keeping our principles and discipline. Difficulty must never lead to panic. It should push us to find solutions.

What identity do you want to give the Eagles?

I do not want to pick one word to define our football. I want a team that takes control of the game. That means wanting the ball when we can, moving forward, pressing when the conditions are right, hurting teams in transition and, above all, wanting to play forward. Adapting to opponents matters, but it must not cost us our personality. We should be able to change how we play without changing our mentality.

After three matches, do you already have a clear picture of the team you want to build?

I have a very clear idea of the principles I want to establish. A team takes time to build. I want discipline, high standards, courage, initiative and forward play. But I also want a team built around its players’ strengths. I will not ask a player to do something that does not suit his qualities. Our job is to find the best solutions so that everyone can fulfil their potential and feel comfortable on the pitch.

‘The past earns you no guaranteed place’

What have you learned about your squad during this camp?

I have learned even more about the people behind the players. A camp lets you observe everyday behaviour, how people live together, accept demands and respond to competition. That is essential to me. Talent matters, but so do conduct, discipline and commitment to the team.

Is the pecking order still open, especially after some newcomers’ strong performances?

It remains open. The past deserves respect, but it guarantees no place. A player with many caps deserves recognition for what he has done, but he must keep showing every day that he deserves his spot. A newcomer must be able to earn his too, through his work. Competition has to be healthy and raise everyone’s level.

Ange Tia scored on his debut against Cape Verde. What did you take from his performance?

He showed character and that he could rise to the occasion. Scoring on debut is obviously positive, but I do not want to reduce his contribution to a goal. I am interested in his qualities, what he can give the team and where he can be most effective. Then he has to keep working. One good game earns no permanent status.

You have plenty of midfield options, including Amadou Haïdara, Mamadou Sangaré, Kamory Doumbia and Lassana Coulibaly. How will you find the right combinations?

That is our responsibility. I do not simply want to field the best individuals. I want to find the players who, together, give the team its best balance. Every midfielder has his strengths: building play, making forward runs, winning the ball, breaking lines or operating in pockets of space. We must build combinations that allow each player to show his qualities.

‘We saw that we could compete’

The 1–1 draw with Morocco in Tangier was a higher-level test. What did you learn?

Those games are valuable because they let us test our standards against a top-class team. We saw that we could compete, but also identified where we still need to improve. That is exactly the point of these matches: knowing where we stand and, above all, where we need to go.

Mali recovered after difficult spells. Is that ability to get back into the game an important lesson?

Yes, it is. A team cannot control all 90 minutes in the same way, particularly against an opponent of that level. I care about how we respond without losing discipline. When we struggle, we must stay a team. When we regain control, we must have the ambition to go forward. That is the collective character I want to develop.

What are the main areas to improve after these three games?

I would not call them concerns, but areas for improvement. I liked our competitiveness, our attitude and some of our attacking moves. But we must get better at managing difficult spells, pressing consistently, taking our chances and controlling games when we are ahead. At the highest level, details decide games. We have to demand more of ourselves in those details.

Four goals scored and only one conceded in your first two qualifying games: are you happy with the team’s balance?

It is encouraging, but I do not want us to be satisfied with statistics after just two games. I want a team that defends and attacks together. Balance begins with collective behaviour. When we lose the ball, everyone has a job to do. When we have it, everyone has to offer an option. We want to play on the front foot while keeping strong collective discipline.

‘We have to aim high’

With six points from six, can Mali now target top spot in their AFCON 2027 qualifying group?

Our responsibility is to compete in every game and stay focused on qualification. We have started well, but nothing is finished. I prefer to talk about standards rather than obligation. We must prepare every game to win. To reach our goals, we have to keep our discipline, humility and ambition to the end.

What kind of Mali team do you want fans to see in the coming months?

I want fans to recognise a team that reflects them: character, discipline, ambition and generosity. I want a team that takes control, plays forward, takes the initiative and never gives up. But I also want an intelligent team that adapts without losing its identity.

Mali’s past deserves respect. The players who wrote that history deserve our respect. But the past guarantees no place. With me, attitude is non-negotiable.

Every player must understand that he serves the team and earns his place through work, performances and behaviour.

How far do you think you can take this team?

I would rather not set limits today. We will move forward step by step, holding ourselves to high standards. We must aim high, but ambition always has to be backed by work.

SNA interview

Interview conducted by an SNA journalist and supplied to the newsroom. Results cross-checked against Ouest-France, Mali–Cape Verde, 25 September 2026 and L’Essor, the trip to Liberia, 1 October 2026. Checked on 9 October 2026. Friendly result cross-checked against MatchMali, Morocco–Mali in Tangier, 4 October 2026. Ange Tia’s first call-up documented by PANA, Eagles squad announcement, 11 September 2026.

Archive photograph: the Eagles warming up in Limbe on 12 January 2022. HAPPI RAPHAEL MBIELE / Wikimedia Commons. Photograph adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0 : cropped and overlaid with the official SNA logo. It illustrates Mali’s national team, not the 2026 camp or this interview.