With teams set to battle it out for the semi-final spots at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on the weekend, some familiar big names will not be involved, signalling a new era for football on the continent.
The tournament has not been kind to many of the traditional "big" teams, including north African giants Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and the most successful team in the competition's history, Egypt. The 34th edition of the showpiece may prove to be a significant turning of the tide as other regions look to pounce at the opportunity to become Africa's next powerhouse.
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The quarter-finalists at AFCON 2023 include Nigeria (who represent west Africa), Angola (southern Africa), DR Congo (central Africa), Guinea (west Africa), Mali (west Africa), Ivory Coast (west Africa), Cape Verde (west Africa), and South Africa.
The north African teams have, for a significant amount of time, been considered by many to be the best teams on the continent, and for good reason. Players who hailed from those regions have gone on to become big names in world football. In more recent times, the likes of Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, Ismael Bennacer, and Mohammed Elneny, to name a few, have represented the best clubs and played in the best leagues around the world. This has especially benefited their national team's recent history.
At the past three tournaments, at least one north African side was involved in each of the finals. Egypt were runners-up in 2021, Algeria were champions in 2019, and in 2017, the Pharaohs were once more finalists. Each of those northern African nations have won the competition at least once in their history.
Egypt, however, have dominated the tournament over the years. The side has emerged triumphant on seven occasions, hence why they were once again considered among the favourites heading into this edition of the tournament. It has, however, taught us to expect the unexpected with surprise results and exits.
For the sake of African football, one would hope that this trend continues for a long time to come because not only have we seen a significant improvement in the quality on the pitch, we have also witnessed an increased level of competitiveness.
Recent history may have also sneakily suggested that the tide is turning, with Algeria being the only side from their region to have won the tournament since the Pharaohs last clinched it in 2010, doing so in 2019. At the following tournament, they were knocked out at the group stage after picking up just one point from their three matches. This year, it was more of the same. The Greens were also eliminated before the knockout rounds, having picked up just two points.
While those north Africans boast big names who play in the Premier League, Serie A and other major leagues, other countries can boast the same thing. Players who come to mind are Nigeria's Victor Osimhen and Mali and Tottenham Hotspur star Yves Bissouma, while Guinea can brag about their star striker Serhou Guirassy, who is among this season's top goalscorers in the Bundesliga.
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Judging by the events of AFCON 2023, evidence – a word Moroccans would perhaps not want to hear for a long while – points to the landscape of African football changing dramatically as it is becoming increasingly difficult to definitively pinpoint the powerhouses of African football, and long may this continue.
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