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  • After Decades of Disappointment, Somalia Finally Have Hope

    For the first time ever, the great nation of Somalia have a legitimate chance of qualifying for a major competition.    For years, Somalia have gone into games or competitions with little to no hope that we can get a result. Things are different this time. Even the people had no interest in national team…

  • BTL’s Team of the 2021 African Cup of Nations

    Africa’s tournament has come to an end, but it wasn’t without excitement, thrill, mouth-watering moments and of course, heartbreak. The tournament produced some incredible moments from some amazing players, some of whom you would expect to be in the team and some lesser-known players.    The 2021 African Cup of Nations was one of the…

  • Musa Barrow: Bologna’s Gambian Talent

    Musa Barrow was a promising youngster that came through the famous Atalanta youth academy after he was lured from his native Gambia to come and play football in Italy as a teenager.   After scoring 23 goals in just 18 Campionato Primavera matches in 2017/18, he was integrated into the senior squad by Coach Gian…

  • Achraf Hakimi: Morocco’s Blazing Fullback in Attack

    Morocco’s African Cup of Nations campaign came to an end on January 30 when they were defeated by North African rivals Egypt in the quarterfinals. A Soufiane Boufal penalty put them ahead within 10 minutes, but Mohamed Salah’s equalizer sent the affair into extra time, where substitute Trézéguet scored the vital winner.   The Atlas…

  • The Best AFCON Players in the History of the EFL Championship

    The African Cup of Nations has had a long and rich history affiliated with Europe’s top leagues, and the inherent quality that comes with playing at the elite level as well as the subsequent exposure leads to at least one representative from the big five leagues within most AFCON squads.   In England’s second-tier specifically,…

  • Joe Aribo: The Scintillating Ibrox Playmaker

    After spells at Staines Town and Charlton Athletic, Joseph Oluwaseyi Temitope Ayodele-Aribo, fondly known as “Joe Boy” amongst Nigerian supporters and professionally known as Joe Aribo, is emerging as a crucial cog for club and country at 25 years of age.   The London-born midfielder played a vital role in helping Rangers secure the Scottish…

  • The Team of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Group Stage

    The TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] has certainly lived up to expectations thus far, but on an individual basis, some players have lived up to expectations, some have surpassed and others have been a massive disappointment. As we enter the knockout stages of the competition, the nerves begin to become a real factor…

  • Case Study: Carlos Queiroz’s Egypt

    Egypt is one of the most successful teams in Africa, a country known for its attacking-first style of football (especially under Hassan Shehata’s leadership) and that has won the Africa Cup of Nations a record seven times. On 8 September 2021, the Egyptian Football Association announced the hiring of Carlos Queiroz, a veteran manager who…

  • Moses Simon: The Super Eagles’ Flying Winger

    It is no surprise that Moses Simon has made an electric start to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. After starting on the left flank in Nigeria’s 1-0 victory against Egypt, Simon scored a goal and provided one assist in the second group stage match against Sudan and was rightly awarded as the game’s official…

  • Disrupted, Disregarded, Maligned and Disliked: AFCON Deserves Better From European Onlookers

    In 2012, then-Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini said he ‘hoped’ that Ivorian trio Abdul Razak, Yaya and Kolo Touré didn’t go to the upcoming African Cup of Nations, due to the disruption it would have to the Cityzens’ season. All three, rightfully, travelled to the tournament, as City eventually finished 2nd to Manchester United in…