Five African Football Icons Who Never Won AFCON Title

Five African Football Icons Who Never Won AFCON Title

By Admin 

In African football, few honours carry the weight and emotion of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). It is the tournament where legends are crowned, nations are united and careers are defined. Yet, for all its glory, AFCON has also been relentlessly unforgiving, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Some of the continent’s greatest players, footballers who conquered Europe, inspired generations and dominated global stages, never managed to lift Africa’s most coveted international trophy. From near-misses in finals to battles fought with under-resourced teams, their stories underline just how elusive AFCON success can be.

Here are five African football legends whose remarkable careers never included an AFCON winner’s medal.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Mohamed Salah’s club career ranks among the most successful in African football history. The Liverpool forward has won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Club World Cup and multiple individual honours, establishing himself as one of the finest players of his generation.

Yet, with Egypt, Africa’s most successful AFCON nation, the ultimate prize continues to elude him. Egypt’s last AFCON triumph came in 2010, just before Salah established himself in the national team.

His AFCON journey has been defined by heartbreak. In 2017, Egypt lost the final to Cameroon. In 2019, hosting the tournament, the Pharaohs were eliminated in the round of 16 by South Africa. In 2021, Salah reached another final, only for Egypt to lose on penalties to Senegal. Fate was particularly cruel, as the shootout ended before Salah, designated as the fifth taker, could step forward.

The 2023 tournament brought further disappointment, as an injury in the group stage sidelined him during Egypt’s round-of-16 exit to DR Congo. Now in his thirties, AFCON remains the most notable omission from an otherwise glittering international résumé.

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Didier Drogba built a reputation as football’s ultimate big-game player. For Chelsea, he delivered consistently on the biggest stages, scoring in finals and leading his club to historic triumphs.

At AFCON, however, success proved agonisingly elusive. Drogba captained Ivory Coast to two finals, both ending in heartbreak. In 2006, the Elephants lost to Egypt on penalties, with Drogba missing his spot kick. Six years later, Ivory Coast returned to the final as favourites against Zambia, but Drogba missed a crucial penalty in normal time before his side again fell in a shootout.

Ivory Coast also finished fourth in 2008 and exited in the quarter-finals in 2010 and 2013. In a cruel twist of fate, the Elephants finally won AFCON in 2015 just months after Drogba retired from international football.

Despite his failure to claim an AFCON title, Drogba’s legacy remains intact. A Champions League winner and a national icon, his influence extended beyond football, including a key role in promoting peace during Ivory Coast’s civil conflict.

George Weah (Liberia)

George Weah occupies a unique place in football history as the only African to win the Ballon d’Or. At his peak with Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, he was among the world’s most feared forwards, claiming FIFA World Player of the Year and African Footballer of the Year in 1995.

Internationally, however, Weah faced challenges beyond footballing ability. Representing Liberia, a nation with limited resources and infrastructure, he often carried the hopes of an entire country on his shoulders.

Liberia qualified for AFCON just twice during Weah’s career. In 1996, they were eliminated on goal difference in a reduced group, while in 2002, a 35-year-old Weah scored his only AFCON goal in a group-stage draw against hosts Mali, but Liberia again failed to progress.

Weah later transitioned from football to politics, serving as Liberia’s president from 2018 to 2024. His legacy transcends trophies, yet his AFCON story remains a powerful reminder that even the greatest individuals cannot succeed alone.

Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)

Nwankwo Kanu enjoyed one of the most decorated careers in African football. He won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax, domestic and European honours with Inter Milan and Arsenal, and claimed Olympic gold with Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Twice crowned African Footballer of the Year, Kanu remains a beloved figure across the continent.

Despite his achievements, an AFCON title never came his way. His closest opportunity arrived in 2000, when Nigeria co-hosted the tournament and reached the final against Cameroon. The match went to penalties, where Kanu missed his kick as Cameroon claimed the trophy.

Nigeria consistently remained competitive during his era, finishing third in four tournaments between 2002 and 2010, but the elusive final step proved beyond reach. Kanu retired with an enviable list of honours minus AFCON gold.

Michael Essien (Ghana)

Michael Essien is widely regarded as one of Africa’s finest midfielders. At Chelsea, he combined physical dominance with technical excellence, winning domestic titles and the UEFA Champions League.

With Ghana, Essien was part of a talented generation burdened by history. The Black Stars last won AFCON in 1982, and successive squads have failed to end the drought. Essien featured in the 2002 quarter-final exit, missed the 2006 tournament through injury, and captained Ghana at the 2008 edition on home soil, where they finished third.

In 2010, injury again struck, sidelining him as Ghana reached the final for the first time in nearly two decades, only to lose to Egypt. Persistent fitness issues limited his involvement in later tournaments, and Ghana’s long wait for another AFCON title continues.

Essien retired admired and respected, yet without the continental crown many felt his talent deserved.