We’re getting nearer and nearer to this year’s biggest football event in Africa, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Holding AFCON champions Algeria won their second title in history. Yet, the Desert Foxes are still some way behind Africa’s supremos when it comes to all-time championships.
Victorspredict looks at who’s taken home the most AFCON trophies.
Without surprise, North and West Africa enjoy huge dominance. The continent’s long-standing rulers are Egypt. The Pharaohs have lifted an astonishing seven titles. But West African giants like Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria are not too far behind.
A few Southern nations also deserve mention for having tasted African dominance on single occasions. South Africa became champions on home soil in 1996 – thanks to a classy 2-0 win over Tunisia in Johannesburg. Zambia’s Chipolopolo followed much later. The then Harve Renard-coached side defeated tournament favourites Ivory Coast in 2012’s final in Gabon.
The East and Central nations of the continent once enjoyed the titles back in the 1960s and 1970s. Ethiopia (1962), Congo (1968), and Congo (1974). But that’s as far as it has gone.
The North and the West have otherwise created a two-horse race.
Here is a list of most titles won by the top five nations:
1. Egypt 🇪🇬: Seven titles (1957, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 & 2010)
Ghana’s last meeting with Egypt at AFCON was in 2010. A 1-0 win for Egypt in the final in Luanda #3sports pic.twitter.com/oSRM5ONufR
— Michael Oti Adjei (@OtiAdjei) October 19, 2016
2. Cameroon 🇨🇲: Five titles (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 & 2017)
CAMEROON ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA!
The Indomitable Lions beat Egypt 2-1 to win their fifth AFCON title.#CAN2017 pic.twitter.com/8DbmI3mbOm
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) February 5, 2017
3. Ghana 🇬🇭: Four titles (1963, 1965, 1978 & 1982)
TIMELESS: Ghana players celebrate with AFCON 1982 trophy after beating Libya in finals. Last major trophy till date pic.twitter.com/b3rosup92j
— so (@Saddick_Adams) February 2, 2016
4. Nigeria 🇳🇬: Three titles (1980, 1994 & 2013)
5. Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 & DR Congo 🇨🇩 and Algeria: Joint-two titles (1992, 2015), (1968, 1974) and (1990, 2019).
Meanwhille, the mighty Desert Foxes of Algeria will mark a third title if they manage to successfully defend the title in Cameroon in the next few weeks.
