The Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in Côte d’Ivoire, holds the dream of many African players, including Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen, who are in search of their first continental crown. As Sport News Africa brings you the latest updates, let’s take a closer look at five legends who have never won this prestigious competition.
Didier Drogba
known as an Ivory Coast legend and a global star during his time with Chelsea, experienced two nightmarish failures in his international career. In 2006, in his first AFCON appearance, Drogba missed a crucial penalty in the final shootout against Egypt, resulting in a heartbreaking loss as the Pharaohs lifted the trophy. In 2012, with more experience under his belt, Drogba had another golden opportunity in the AFCON final, but once again missed a decisive penalty against Zambia. The Zambians went on to win the final, denying Drogba his greatest dream with the national team.
Seydou Keïta
a talented midfielder and a Malian soccer legend, faced a glass ceiling in his AFCON journey. Despite his success as a European champion with FC Barcelona, Keïta never achieved victory in the continent’s greatest competition. In four separate occasions, Keïta’s Mali team failed to reach the semi-finals, losing to formidable opponents such as Cameroon and Morocco. Despite his individual brilliance, Keïta retired from international football in 2015 without an AFCON triumph.
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Georges Weah
the only African to be awarded the Ballon d’Or, never left his fingerprints on the AFCON trophy. Despite his exceptional career and status as a legendary player, Weah only participated in two AFCON tournaments, with Liberia failing to advance beyond the group stages on both occasions.
Nwankwo Kanu
an elegant Nigerian striker and a true legend of African soccer, came tantalizingly close to AFCON glory. Despite winning the Olympic gold medal in 1996 and being crowned African Golden Ball winner in the same year, Kanu never lifted the AFCON trophy. In the 2000 final against Cameroon, Kanu’s Nigerian team, one of the tournament’s strongest, fell short in a penalty shootout, leaving Kanu’s dream unfulfilled.
El Hadji Diouf
a two-time African Ballon d’Or winner and a Senegalese prodigy, showcased his talent during the historic 2002 World Cup run. However, in the AFCON final just prior to the World Cup, Diouf missed a penalty in the shootout, dashing the hopes of Senegal and their promising generation as Cameroon emerged victorious.
These five legends, with their incredible contributions to the sport, carry the bittersweet memory of never winning the AFCON. Despite their individual successes, the ultimate glory in this continental competition remained elusive.
