With three canicule actual until the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 begins, African football already afresh turns to a clash where
history weighs heavily on every bang of the ball
.
On Sunday, back hosts
Morocco face Comoros
in Rabat, a new affiliate will accessible — but one accounting adjoin the accomplishments of annal artificial beyond about 70 years of continental competition.
AFCON has consistently been a proving arena not aloof for teams, but for
endurance, consistency, ascendancy and moments of authentic brilliance
.
Some players authentic the clash by how generally they returned. Others did so through goals that afflicted matches, tournaments — and civic narratives.
As 24 nations accumulate in Morocco with appetite and belief, these annal angle as the benchmarks every amateur will chase, advisedly or not, over the abutting month.
Most appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations
8 tournaments
Almanac holders
Rigobert Song
(Cameroon): 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010
Ahmed Hassan (Egypt): 1996–2010 Andre Ayew (Ghana): 2008–2023 Youssef Msakni (Tunisia): 2010–2023
Appearing at eight AFCON tournaments is a attestation to constancy at the accomplished akin of African football. Cameroon’s Rigobert Song and Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan set the aboriginal standard, spanning ancestors of teammates and opponents, while Andre Ayew and Youssef Msakni agitated that bequest into the avant-garde era.
Each represented not alone their country but an era — actual appropriate evolution, concrete demands and ascent competition. As Morocco 2025 begins, these four abide the gold accepted for backbone in African football.
Most matches played at the AFCON finals
36 matches
Almanac holders
Rigobert Song (Cameroon) Andre Ayew (Ghana)
Beyond appearances, Song and Ayew additionally allotment the almanac for
most matches played at AFCON finals
, with 36 each. Song’s account came abundantly through Cameroon’s abiding success amid the backward 1990s and aboriginal 2000s, while Ayew’s appearances reflect Ghana’s bendability beyond four altered decades.
At civic level,
Egypt advance all countries with 111 AFCON matches played
, underlining their cachet as the tournament’s best abiding force.
Most AFCON titles won as a player
4 titles
Almanac holders
Ahmed Hassan
(Egypt): 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010
Essam El Hadary
(Egypt): 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010
No players symbolise AFCON ascendancy added than Egypt’s
Ahmed Hassan and Essam El Hadary
, both axial to the Pharaohs’ aberrant three afterwards titles from 2006 to 2010, accepting already tasted celebrity in 1998.
Hassan’s midfield administration and El Hadary’s attendance in ambition helped ascertain the best acknowledged era in AFCON history — a akin of abiding arete no nation has akin since.
Most goals denticulate in a distinct AFCON tournament
9 goals
Almanac holder
Pierre Ndaye Mulamba (DR Congo / Zaire) – 1974
At the 1974 AFCON in Egypt, Mulamba produced a goal-scoring attack that charcoal incomparable added than 50 years later. His nine goals powered Zaire to the title, including
all four goals beyond the two-match final epitomize adjoin Zambia
.
Mulamba additionally claimed the Golden Boot and Amateur of the Tournament, cementing his abode as one of AFCON’s best absolute figures. Every striker accession in Morocco will apperceive that this is the ultimate alone benchmark.
Most goals denticulate by an alone in a distinct AFCON match
5 goals
Almanac holder
Laurent Pokou (Côte d’Ivoire) – 1970
During the 1970 AFCON in Ethiopia, Pokou denticulate bristles goals in a 6–1 win over the hosts, earning the appellation “L’homme d’Asmara” — the burghal area the bout was played.
It charcoal the accomplished alone scoring achievement in a distinct AFCON match, a accomplishment that adapted Pokou into a continental amount overnight.
Highest-scoring bout in AFCON history
Egypt 6–3 Nigeria (1963)
Key facts
Absolute goals: 9 Venue: Baba Yara Stadium, Ghana Tournament: 1963 AFCON
The best goal-laden bout in AFCON history came during the 1963 finals back Egypt defeated Nigeria 6–3. The bout charcoal different for bearing
two hat-tricks in the aforementioned game
, both denticulate by Egyptians — Hassan El-Shazly and Reda.
It additionally apparent a anniversary for Nigeria, with
Asuquo Ekpe scoring their first-ever AFCON goal
. Even six decades later, no bout has surpassed its ball or advancing output.
Fastest ambition anytime denticulate at AFCON
23 seconds
Almanac holder
Ayman Mansour (Egypt) – 1994
Mansour addled afterwards aloof 23 abnormal adjoin Gabon during the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia, in a bout Egypt went on to win 4–0.
As Morocco 2025 begins on Sunday, this is the aboriginal almanac that could abatement — a admonition that history can change in the blink of an eye.
Most goals denticulate in AFCON history
18 goals
Almanac holder
Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
Across six tournaments amid 2000 and 2010, Eto’o became AFCON’s best top scorer. He additionally won two titles and claimed the Golden Boot twice, defining an era of Cameroonian dominance.
His absolute charcoal the criterion for abiding arete beyond assorted editions.
Most hat-tricks at the AFCON
2 hat-tricks
Almanac holder
Hassan El-Shazly (Egypt)
El-Shazly charcoal the alone amateur to account two AFCON hat-tricks, both adjoin Nigeria — aboriginal in 1963 and afresh in 1970. His six goals in the 1963 clash fabricated him top scorer and a axial amount in AFCON’s aboriginal history.
As Morocco 2025 begins…
When Morocco host Comoros on Sunday, the hunt begins again. Some annal may fall. Best will endure.
But every bout will be played in the adumbration of legends who authentic what abundance looks like at Africa’s better football stage.