On Sunday, February 10, 2013, the Super Eagles of Nigeria under Coach Stephen Keshi ran over The Stallions of Burkina Faso in a gruelling encounter in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). All thanks to Sunday Mba’s heroic stunt in the 40th minute.
Today, which team succeeds the Super Eagles, a team that carelessly lost its bid to defend the cup in Equatorial Guinea?
AFCON, Africa’s main international association football competition, was officially known as CAN (French: Coupe d’Afrique des Nations). It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and was first held in 1957.
The 2015 edition is known as Orange AFCON Equatorial Guinea 2015.
Since 1968, it has been held every two years. The title holders at the time of a FIFA Confederations Cup qualify for that competition.
In 1957, there were only three participating nations: Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. South Africa was originally scheduled to compete, but was disqualified due to the apartheid policies of the government then in power.
Since then, the tournament has grown greatly, making it necessary to hold a qualifying tournament. The number of participants in the final tournament reached 16 in 1998 (16 teams were to compete in 1996, but Nigeria withdrew, reducing the field to 15), and since then, the format has been unchanged, with the 16 teams being drawn into four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams of each group advancing to a “knock-out” stage.
Egypt is the most successful nation in the cup’s history, winning the tournament a record seven times (including when it was known as the United Arab Republic between 1958 and 1971).
Ghana and Cameroon have won four titles each, while Nigeria has won it three times.
Throughout the history of the tournament, three different trophies have been awarded to the winners of the competition.
The original trophy, made of silver, was the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, named after the first CAF president, Egyptian Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem.
As the first winner of three tournaments, Ghana obtained the right to permanently hold the trophy in 1978.
The second trophy was awarded from 1980 to 2000, and it was named “Trophy of African Unity” or “African Unity Cup”.
It was given by the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) to CAF, prior to the 1980 tournament and it was a cylindrical piece with the Olympic rings over a map of the continent engraved on it.
It sat on a squared base and had stylised triangular handles. Cameroon won the Unity Cup indefinitely after it became three-time champions in 2000.
In 2001, the third trophy was revealed, a gold-plated cup designed and made in Italy.
Cameroon, permanent holders of the previous trophy, were the first nation to be awarded the new trophy after it won the 2002 edition.
Egypt won the gold-plated cup indefinitely after it became three-time champions in 2010, in an unprecedented achievement by winning three consecutive continental titles.
Unlike previous winners who would have then taken the trophy home, Egypt was presented with a special full size replica that it got to keep.
First and second time winners usually get a smaller replica for their trophy cabinets.
As of 2013, the tournament was switched to being held in odd-numbered years, so as not to clash with the FIFA World Cup.
This year’s edition of the tournament, hosted by Equatorial Guinea, which kicked off on January 17 comes to an end today, February 8, at the Bata Stadium, in Equatorial Guinea.
To set the stage for today’s epic encounter, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire had beaten Guinea 3-1 on Wednesday, while the Black stars of Ghana mauled hosts, Equatorial Guinea 3-0 on Thursday.
With 2013 finalists, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, out of contention, who between Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana will step into Nigeria’s shoes at African Champion?
