CHUKA ONWUMECHILI
AS the whistle blew on the final match, it was clear that this year’s edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has gone a long way to define a new chapter for the tournament, establishing it on the world football map.
Not only has it successfully resisted pressure from European clubs who were reluctant to release African players, but the competition provided memorable moments for a global audience. And it culminated in a dream final between Senegal and Egypt, led by two of the world’s finest footballers – Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah.
Africa insisted that its Afcon competition must be respected, especially by European clubs. This was a major focus when this year’s event started in Cameroon.
The first edition, established in 1957 in Khartoum, Sudan, started as a minor tournament in world football. The 34th edition in Cameroon attracted some of the best footballers in the world including Mané (Senegal), Salah (Egypt) and Wilfried Zaha (Ivory
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