Africa Cup of Nations winner Sebastien Siani revealed the impact of Hugo Broos in their title-winning campaign in 2017.
Hugo Broos, who recently led Bafana Bafana to a third-place finish at AFCON 2023, remains a respected figure in African football.
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With South Africa having already booked their spot for the next edition in Morocco, Siani has reflected on how the Belgian tactician masterminded Cameroon's historic success.
Speaking to CAFOnline, Siani described what winning AFCON meant to him.
"Winning an AFCON is the dream of every African player. It is a competition that brings together the best teams on the continent and carries a huge weight for our countries, our families and our fans.
"It represents the accomplishment of years of work, sacrifice and immense pride for an entire people. It's the Holy Grail."
Cameroon entered the 2017 tournament with a squad that many doubted due to the absence of several star players, but according to Siani, their belief never wavered and Broos was important in making that possible.
"At the beginning, many people didn't believe in us because of the absences of several top players.
"But in the group, we were united and determined to show that Cameroon still had resources. Hugo Broos managed to instil in us the mentality of never giving up."
Siani gave further insight into the Belgian's coaching style, praising his ability to manage the squad.
"Hugo Broos is a calm and pragmatic coach. He knew how to listen to us, understand us, and get the best out of everyone. He gave great freedom to his players while imposing collective discipline."
That approach helped Cameroon defy expectations and lift the trophy, with their unity proving to be their biggest strength.
"The secret was our unity. We didn't have the big names, but we were a real team. Everyone was playing for the collective, and we put our egos aside for Cameroon.
"After the victory against Senegal in the quarter-finals, we knew that if we could beat such a strong team, nothing was impossible. We didn't put pressure on ourselves in the long term but in every match."
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With Broos now building a new legacy with South Africa, many will be wondering if Bafana Bafana can replicate the same fighting spirit when they return to AFCON next year.