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AFCON 2025 Team of the Tournament By Habeeb Kuti – KutisabiFootball After weeks of thrilling football, AFCON 2025 finally came to an end, delivering drama, quality, controversy, and standout individual performances. From heroic goalkeeping displays to midfield maestros and relentless forwards, the tournament produced players who consistently rose above the rest. Here is my AFCON 2025 Team of the Tournament , based on performance, impact, consistency, and influence on their teams. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou (Morocco) Bounou was the gold standard between the posts at AFCON 2025. He recorded five clean sheets , commanded his area with authority, and produced match-defining saves in both open play and knockout situations. His composure under pressure and leadership from the back earned him the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament award. Morocco’s defensive confidence began and ended with him. Defense (Back Four) Right Back – Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) Elegant yet aggressive, Mazra...

Introduction: Nigeria’s Keeper Crisis After the retirement of Vincent Enyeama under controversial circumstances in 2015, Carl Ikeme came into the Super Eagles setup, making his debut in a September 2015 AFCON qualifier against Tanzania. He made three appearances during Nigeria’s successful qualification campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but unfortunately could not travel to the tournament due to his cancer treatment—an absence manager Gernot Rohr later described as his greatest regret. This left Nigeria in a serious goalkeeping crisis, as hope for a reliable successor to Enyeama seemed dashed. There was an experiment with Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi at some point, until Maduka Okoye, playing far away in the Netherlands, was discovered, thanks to agents-like traits, talent discovery, or perhaps a deliberate PR work, as insinuated by some, by the international award-winning sports journalist in Germany,  Okoye quickly became a fan favourite online, especially among female sup...

  Upon retirement, Mikel Arteta had three clear options. He was offered the chance to lead the Arsenal Academy by Arsène Wenger, to join Mauricio Pochettino’s backroom staff at Tottenham Hotspur, or to become part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City. On 3 July 2016, Arteta chose the latter and was appointed assistant coach at Manchester City, working alongside Brian Kidd and Domènec Torrent as deputies to Guardiola. When Arsenal appointed Arteta on 20 December 2019, signing him to a deal reportedly worth over £10 million, very little was known about his credentials as a head coach beyond his assistant role under Pep Guardiola. To many observers, it felt like a bold gamble. To Arsenal, it was a long-term vision — one that is now beginning to look justified. From Doubt to Belief If Mikel Arteta has no fan left on earth, then it means only one thing: @EBL2017 is no longer alive. When I first came across his page years ago, I honestly thought it was just another Arsena...

  The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has grown into one of the most competitive and emotionally charged tournaments in world football. From improved infrastructure to better organization and increased global attention, African football has evolved significantly over the decades. However, one tradition that continues to raise questions is the AFCON third-place match. Is it still necessary, or has it become an effort in futility? A Brief Historical Context The Africa Cup of Nations began in 1957 in Khartoum, Sudan, with just three participating teams: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. South Africa was meant to be part of that inaugural tournament but withdrew due to its apartheid policy, insisting on selecting only white players — a stance that was rightly rejected. The third-place match was introduced in 1962 at the AFCON tournament hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with Tunisia finishing as the first-ever third-place team. At the time, the inclusion of a third-place match made sense. The c...

African football has produced icons who didn’t just represent the continent but defined eras of world football. From Ballon d’Or winners to Champions League legends and AFCON heroes, this list reflects impact, longevity, trophies, influence, and global recognition. 1. Samuel Eto’o Fils (Cameroon) Samuel Eto’o is arguably the most complete African striker ever. A serial winner, he conquered Europe with Barcelona and Inter Milan, winning multiple Champions League titles. Eto’o combined pace, intelligence, ruthless finishing, and elite mentality. At international level, he led Cameroon to two AFCON titles and an Olympic gold medal. His ability to deliver on the biggest stages, season after season, places him at the summit of African greatness. 2. Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast) Yaya Touré redefined what a midfielder could be. Powerful, elegant, and technically gifted, he dominated games from deep, box-to-box, or as an attacking force. A key part of Barcelona’s treble-winning side and later the h...

  A Childhood Love for Madrid My first encounter with football as a child came in 1998 in Ilorin, watching Sunday Oliseh score that brilliant goal against Spain at the World Cup. That moment ignited my passion for the game. By age 12, I had committed my heart to Real Madrid. I memorized players’ names, understood the rules, and would go to any length just to watch football — sneaking into fields, walking miles, and using a free-to-air satellite at my dad’s house to catch European league matches. I fell in love with the Galácticos era, with Raúl Gonzalez as my favorite, admiring his calm, precise left foot and his iconic ring-kiss celebration. Even during the ups and downs, Robinho’s brief brilliance, Capello finally winning the league, Mourinho’s tactical masterstrokes, and the bitter periods in between, my devotion never wavered. This background explains why I care deeply about Madrid’s current state and why I believe Calvin Bassey is the solution they desperately need. Madrid in ...