The Africa Cup of Nations tends to be a polarising event when it arrives every two years. Conversations about whether players are going to leave their club sides midway through the season begins a cycle of negative press. Of course while many look forward to the festivities, some see it as a hindrance. In my personal beliefs the media have a large part to play.

In England, Sky Sports out of nowhere announced that they obtained the rights to show a large majority of games 6 days prior to kickoff, but their history of doing so includes starting fixtures 15 or more minutes late to accommodate for reruns, or live shows that already have a separate home. Commentary is outsourced, and as soon as it’s time for the game to wrap up, producers cut the footage from your screens quicker than The Flash travelling through time.

AFCON is not a tournament any dedicated football fan would want to miss however. Every time without fail, you are guaranteed to discover emerging stars like Lamine Camara of Senegal, or witness teams of any status diminish the meaning of what a star player looks like. No game is easy, but selflessness can take you far here.

This year’s edition was no different. Teachings of many produced moments to behold. Achievements that can only result in future elevation. For some, going back to the drawing board and realising how some federations caused so much devastation. Ultimately the road to success is one with obstacles to avoid, but those occasional detours are what adds depth.

Road To The Final

On Sunday, an epic final between 3 time champions Nigeria, and the hosts (2x champions), Ivory Coast took place. The Super Eagles who enjoyed dominant displays throughout the competition took the lead through player of the tournament and captain William Troost-Ekong. Their defensive fortitude was tested time and time again, before Frank Kessie answered the call from a corner kick.

There were two extraordinary stories to walk out of the finals, and the first included what it took for Côte d’Ivoire to get there in the first place. Back to back defeats in Group A put them all but out of the tournament. Chances of qualification were slim. So much so that The Elephants relied on a final day Zambian defeat against Morocco to qualify as one of the best third placed teams. Despite all of that, there was no escaping the embarrassment of being booed off the pitch in your national stadium after a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea. A defeat that subsequently led to the departure of head coach Jean-Louis Gasset.

In stepped former footballer and assistant to Gasset, Emerse Faé. Embarking on his first senior head coaching experience, Faé once represented Les Elephants at senior level, suffering true heartbreak in 2006 as he lost on penalties to an Egyptian side who at the same time began a legendary AFCON three peat that has yet to be replicated since. 6 years later, after representing Nantes, Reading and Nice in his senior club career, the midfielder was forced to retire at the age of just 28, due to phlebitis causing recurrent blood clots.

Faé inherited a team that were at rock bottom while needing to best prepare them for a matchup against the reigning champions Senegal. Starting the theme of dramatic moments, it was Frank Kessie’s 86^th minute penalty which presented them with a chance to win on penalties. Then comes Mali in the quarter finals.

A nightmare half for Bayer Leverkusen centre back Odilon Kossounou concluded with him taking an early trip to the dressing room. Down to ten men, not to mention the second time Côte d’Ivoire had to recover from a goal down. Simon Adingra returned to firstly equalise in the final minute of normal time, and just imagine the scenes after Oumar Diakite skilfully flicked a Seko Fofana strike past a soon to be dejected Djigui Diarra in Mali’s net.

One man yet to be mentioned is Sebastien Haller. Much like Adingra, the Dortmund forward returned from injury in the knockout rounds. Twice off the bench, before being granted his starting position upfront against DR Congo, who themselves dispatched seven time champions Egypt, and Guinea respectively.

Not necessarily known for their ruthlessness up front, The Leopards struggled to break down Ivory Coast and eventually it was Haller who delivered a second half dagger to send his side through to the final.

Conclusions to tournaments tend to be tight affairs. Make or break moments that will stay etched in the minds of many. No doubt about it, when questions need to be answered, hero’s, larger than life people stand to be accounted for. Just understanding Sebastien Haller’s journey of being diagnosed with cancer in 2022, to then fighting back and returning a year later showcases the spirit and strength that it takes to win. In LIFE! He already achieved greatness, but hero status was solidified after his championship strike.

A priceless goal that completed the fairy tale story. Heroes that were created, and persevered through adversity.

History Rich

AFCON 2023 saw the most collective goals in tournament history. Individuals such as the top scorer (5) Emilio Nsue starred bright, while we were all able to sit back and revel in the devastating tandem of Gelson Dala and Mabululu for Angola just to name a few.

More history was made as we witnessed Mauritania’s first ever win in the competition, as well as a handful of first time matchups, teams reaching unprecedented heights while devouring upon those expected to do so much more. Just look at South Africa’s 2-0 victory against Morocco in the Round of 16.

Speaking of Bafana Bafana, their captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams who was named keeper of the tournament made a name for himself after saving 4 penalties, sending South Africa through to their first AFCON semi-final since 2000. He only strengthened that reputation by coming up again with the goods during their third place playoff versus DR Congo. So much penalty drama!

A final positive to touch on especially during the initial stages of the tournament was how our beloved Video Assistant Referee was implemented. Far from perfection (what is?), but CAF and their officiating teams across the 52 games were efficient in making decisions, more times than not resulting in correct calls.

Overall, this year’s edition of the AFCON showcased an ever growing nature of football across the continent. Teams are developing, which in turn will elevate the level of competition. What it takes to win is much more now, and as the World Cup approaches in 2026, don’t be shocked to see AFRICA rise to create history that will stand the test of time. Before that point, another tournament will be held sometime next year in Morocco to level out the sporting calendar, so be ready to revisit and indulge once more, as Ivory Coast will look to retain a championship which for them, signifies nationwide pride and hard fought achievements.

What did you think of AFCON 2023? If you didn’t catch it this time around, will you be watching next year? Have your say in the comment section, and feel free to follow my accounts on X, TikTok, and YouTube where I’ll be providing extra football content and updates.