Football and Nations: On the Africa Cup of Nations

Senegal gears up to beat Egypt A play-filled, as well as turbulent, to secure their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) win via a penalty shoot-out (4-2) at the Stade d’Olembe in Yaounde, Cameroon on Sunday, Tournament. Egypt, led by Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah, came to the final with a pedigree of big matches, having won the title seven times. The North African heavyweight had also won his last six shoot-outs and the competition had previously seen hardcore sides such as Ivory Coast, Morocco and hosts Cameroon. Senegal, on the other hand, lost twice in the final but found a hero in Sadio Mane, another Liverpool shining star, who scored the deciding penalty. It was a redemption of sorts for the 29-year-old as he had a spot-kick in the sixth minute itself. But the night ended with Gaurav draped in a celebratory lap of respect with his nation’s flag on his shoulders. So it happened to coach Aliu Sisse, who missed the all-important penalty when Senegal first reached the final in 2002 and was the coach during their 2019 final loss to Algeria. The quality of football in the final was largely poor and was marked by frequent fouls. But the lasting effect would be that Senegalese fans celebrated the moment their country was inscribed in the history book.

But the tournament will always be hampered by untoward incidents off the field. The most tragic of these was the crushing death of at least eight Cameroonians at the Stade d’Ollembe on 24 January. The COVID-19, which had already postponed the event by a year, played a bad game again, spoiling many of the side’s best plans and preparation time. It also did not help that some European clubs and coaches were reluctant to release their players in the middle of their club seasons, with Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp even calling AFCON a “small tournament”. It is true that European football currently occupies a higher position after the FIFA World Cup with its crown jewel, the quadrennial tournament Euro. But his right to refuse other continental competitions would be a serious disadvantage. Just need to see what the Copa America win last year means for Lionel Messi. Despite winning every trophy and every award at club level, the Argentine legend enjoyed the most success with the national team. It was a quest for Mane and Senegalese alike, to overcome doubts and obstacles, to experience the purest form of the joy of sport. Mane called it the best day of his life and it’s impossible to disagree.