Club or country? The controversy that dogs African football
Eight players refused to honour the national call this year. The African Cup of Nations falls right in the middle of European football club seasons
Africa’s ultimate football prize, the biennial African Cup of Nations (Afcon), kicked-off on Saturday 14 January in Gabon. Its 31st edition, Afcon 2017 is not only a 23-day-long showcase for African football, but also the place to observe trends in the game, such as foreign influence, money and more money. Marking its 60th anniversary this year, Sudan hosted the first tournament in 1957 with only three nations – Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The Egyptians won it for the first of seven times. They’re back at Afcon 2017 as one of the favourites after missing the last three competitions due to political upheavals. The competition has come a long way, with the most obvious development being the dramatic increase in the number of participating teams – since 1998 16 teams qualify. What makes Afcon 2017 interesting is who made it and who didn’t. The last time Uganda played in this tournament, in 1978, Idi Amin was the president. The reappearance of Zimbabwe is refreshing too. But Guinea Bissa...
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