The Rich History of Africa Cup of Nations( Afcon)

The Rich History of Africa Cup of Nations( Afcon)

The most prominent football (soccer) competition in Africa is the Africa Cup of Nations. The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) organizes it, and national teams compete.

The competition’s structure has evolved, with the number of teams rising from three in 1957 to twenty-four in 2019 following multiple expansions.

In 1968, as participation increased, qualification rounds were added, and CAF decided to hold the competition every two years.

Egypt won the Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem Trophy—named for its benefactor, an Egyptian who was the first CAF president—by defeating the host country in the final of the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations, which took place in Khartoum, Sudan, in February 1957.

When Ghana won the competition three times in 1978, it became the first nation to receive that trophy permanently.

Following their third title since 1978, Cameroon won the African Unity Cup in 2000, earning them the trophy’s permanent award. A brand-new trophy known as the Cup of Nations was unveiled in 2002.

African players’ talents have been showcased by the competition. African supporters were enthralled with the tournament’s offensive, entertaining style of play in the 1950s and 60s, which also drew the attention of European talent scouts, agents, and journalists.

The cup gained more international recognition while it was led by Ethiopian Ydnekachew Tessema, the CAF president from 1972 until his passing in 1987.

In 1980, professionalism was permitted, and in 1984, corporate sponsorships were approved.

Two of the finest players of the cup are Ivorian striker Laurent Pokou, who scored five goals in a 6-1 victory over Ethiopia in 1970, and Cameroonian forward Samuel Eto’o, who currently holds the record for the most goals scored in a career in the Cup of Nations (18).

Outside of the field of play, the Cup of Nations has served as a platform for the expression of political beliefs and ideals.

To foster pride and unity among their various populations, many independent African countries invested significant financial and political resources in national football teams after inheriting colonial institutions devoid of indigenous emblems of national identity.

For instance, Ghana won the cup in 1963 and 1965 thanks to the fervent encouragement of Kwame Nkrumah, the country’s first president.

South Africa’s racially mixed team appeared to represent football’s ability to heal the glaring social and economic divide caused by apartheid when they won the 1996 tournament at home.

In contrast, supporters of the opposition Islamic Salvation Front cheered the team’s victory in Algiers, making it impossible for the Algerian government to profit from the team’s success in the 1990 Cup of Nations. Political unrest severely disrupted the 2010 Cup of Nations.

Two team officials and the bus driver were killed in an attack by separatist gunmen on the Togo team bus as it entered the Angolan exclave of Cabinda to get to the tournament; as a result, the Togolese team withdrew from the competition, which had a field of fifteen teams.

The following is a list of Africa Cup of Nations Winner since 1957.

Africa Cup of Nations

Year Winner