Fairytale: Cote D’Ivoire Is Champion Of African Football

The fairytale that characterized the Total Energies 2023 AFCON tournament from the blast of the first whistle on January 13, 2024 has ended in the most extraordinary circumstances in football history when Mauritanian referee, Dahane Beida blewed the final whistle on the night of February 11, 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Olympique Stadium in Abijan.

Host Cote D’Ivoire who were virtually eliminated at the group stage of the tournament after losing two games to Equitorial Guinea and Nigeria were crowned champions of the 2023 AFCON the tournament after defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final match.

Ivory Coast won only the group opening game 2-0 against Guinea and lost the rest two group matches 4-0 to Equitorial Guinea and 1-0 to Nigeria.

Following the disatrous group staage outing, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) terminated the contract of the Head Coach, Jean-Louis Gasset and his Assistant “for insufficient results in accordance to the contract they had.”

Forty-year old French-born former Ivorian international, Emerse Fae was subsequently appointed interim coach of the Elephants for the second chance redemption journey.

The Ivorians had hoped former coach Herve Renard, a two-time Cup of Nations winner, would be loaned to them for the rest of the tournament by France where he is the women’s national team coach, but their request was turned down.

Interim Coach, Fae made several key changes and the Ivorians showed impressive mental fortitude in overcoming holders Senegal in the last 16 and neighbours Mali in the quarter-final, coming from behind in both matches.

Their semi-final victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo continued the fairytale comeback.

Local press have dubbed Fae the “Special One” liking him to Jose Maurinho.

The Elephants made a strong start in the final against Nigeria, though, with early chances for Haller and Brighton’s Simon Adingra, before veteran Max Gradel saw an acrobatic overhead kick smash into the side netting.

It all kicked off just before the half-hour mark with an on-pitch scuffle between both sets of players after Evan Ndicka raised an elbow into the side of Victor Osimhen, with Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro booked for his protests.

The Ivory Coast continued to push for an opener as Adingra forced Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali into a key save from a tight angle but it was the Super Eagles who took the lead against the run of play in the 38th minute via a looping header from captain Troost-Ekong.

Les Elephants had a massive chance to equalise just five minutes into the second half but a heroic block on the six-yard line from Calvin Bassey denied Gradel – with the Nigeria and Fulham defender celebrating it like a goal.

The hosts were left furious moments later as Gradel went down inside the box with referee Dahane Beida and VAR denying them a spot kick and tempers subsequently flared up again, with Nwabali and Serge Aurier booked for clashing.

It was somewhat of a strange tournament for the Ivory Coast.

The West Africans add to their previous Nations Cup wins in 1992 and 2015 and become the first tournament hosts to triumph since Egypt lifted the trophy in 2006.

The Elephants pick up $7m (£5.54m) in prize money, with Nigeria handed $4m by the Confederation of African Football.

Nigeria, three-time continental champions themselves, had previously been unbeaten at the finals, but the Super Eagles rarely imposed themselves after sitting back for most of the contest.

The 2023 AFCON tournament witnessed several surprises. Tournament favourites were all eliminated, not even a single of five countries that represented the continent at the last World Cup in Qatar got the the semi-finals.

Emilio Nsue of Equitoroal Guinea who were kicked out of the tournament at the one-sixteeth stage won the golden boot of the tournament with five goals.

The tournament which was christened tournament of the under-dogs recorded a historic 119 total number of goals.

South Africa who won the bronze medal also picked up the fairplay award whiles captain of the Bafana Bafana and goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams picked the Golden Gloves award.

Nigeria’s Captain William Troost-Ekong won the player of the tournament award whiles the golden boot was won by Equitorial Guinea’s Emilio Nsue with five golas.

Another interesting feature of the 34th AFCON is the involvement of Women officials.