Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have both been trying to win the African Cup of Nations for the first time with Egypt and Senegal respectively.
The two forwards are clearly among the best players in the world right now, but both could be left disappointed at the end of the tournament.
If Salah and/or Mane do go through their careers without landing the trophy they will be in good company, as the title has eluded some of the biggest names to come out of Africa over the years.
Related: Diouf: I Can’t Believe It That Jay Jay Okocha Didn’t Win African Footballer Of The Year Award
George Weah, Liberia
George Weah became the first, and to date only, African player to win the Ballon d’Or award in 1995 but success at international level proved a step too far for the former AC Milan and Marseille striker.
Weah did manage 13 goals in 53 appearances for his country and helped them reach the African Cup of Nations twice, in 1996 and 2002, but they failed to progress beyond the group stage on both occasions.
El Hadji Diouf, Senegal
Two-time African footballer of the year El Hadji Diouf came agonisingly close to winning the AFCON with Senegal but the The Lions of Teranga lost on penalties to Cameroon in the 2002 tournament.
Diouf managed 24 goals in 70 games for his country but his international career was not without controversy.
The former Liverpool and Bolton forward was banned for five years from playing for the national side in 2011 after reacting angrily to claims that he had failed to attend a disciplinary hearing. That ban was later decreased, but he was then omitted from the Senegal squad for an African Cup of Nations qualify leading Diouf to state the Senegalese Federation was ‘scared’ of him.
Tony Yeboah, Ghana
Tony Yeboah had an impressive strike rate for Ghana with 29 goals in just 59 appearances, putting him in third spot on the Black Stars’ all-time goalscorers list.
Yeboah, who played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Leeds and Hamburg during his club career, came close to winning AFCON in 1992 but Ghana were beaten 11-10 on penalties in the final with the Ivory Coast.
The striker was also a member of the squad that finished in fourth place in 1996, with Ghana beaten 3-0 in the semi-finals by eventual champions South Africa.
8 Comments
CSN…remove the log in your eyes before the spec in other peoples’ eyes….the last time I checked, Our own Papillo never won AFCON…..unless my memory is beginning to fail me
Your memory is not the only faculty that is beginning to fail you.
Hehehehehe….Mr back-up dancer…! I hope you are no more in pains…! Sorry ehn…the shock seemed to be to much for you it took you days to recover. LMAO
Your dastardly ways will catch up with you one day.
LEEEMAOO!!! We haven’t seen him here since Saturday. Pele, Ndo. Thank God for your life that you haven’t contemplated suicide yet.. LEEEMAOO!!!! AWỌN ÉÉYAN KÉÉYAN. AWỌN ẸNI ÍBÍ. Backward thinkers. Your master is already changing his tunes it might not be too late for you to start thinking progressively.
You and Dr Drey have disrespected the Almighty Omo9ja but behold, your days of reckoning are at hand.
Your underworld activities will be duly punished and Omo9ja shall emerge as the glorious one.
Several times you have been asked to desist from your subversive ways but you refuse.
Don’t worry, like the female spider that devours her lover after sex so shall omo9ja’s views devour yours in the fullness of time.
Your own dastardly ways of masquerading under the identity of others and calling a mere unintelligent mortal ‘almighty’ have already caught up and even over taken you sef. LMAO. Your disgrace has just begun.
How dare you speak to me, a disciple of Omo9ja like that? Apologize immediately.