Ibrahim Ba Completes UEFA Pro License, Reflects on Coaching Diversity and Cultural Barriers

At 52 years old, Ibrahim Ba, the former AC Milan right winger and Italian champion, has completed his UEFA Pro License in Italy, two decades after ending his playing career. Known for his time at Bordeaux and Marseille, Ba was notably left out of France’s 1998 World Cup squad by coach Aimé Jacquet, despite starting the Stade de France inaugural match against Spain months earlier.

Ba is mentioned in the article "On the benches, a small diverse garden," which addresses the dearth of coaches with African ancestry in French football, in the most recent issue of France Football. Big names like Zinedine Zidane are the few exceptions to the rule that non-white coaches are frequently passed over for key jobs, according to Ba, who critiques the cultural mindset of decision-makers. Many athletes from a variety of backgrounds earn coaching licenses, but they find it difficult to land professional coaching positions, he continues.

Reflecting on his choice to study coaching in Italy, where diversity is less tolerated, Ba also draws attention to the sluggish growth in other nations, including as England, where Chris Hughton was the only Black coach in the Premier League for many years.

While Liam Rosenior (Strasbourg) and Habib Beye (Rennes) have become coaches in France, Ba admits positive steps despite the difficulties, pointing to Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira as prime examples. The growing number of decision-makers from a variety of backgrounds, like Kader Mangane, Demba Ba, and Mehdi Benatia, is another point he makes. Finally, it is believed that Philippe Diallo's ascent to the position of president of the French Football Federation (FFF) represents transition.