The 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday 14th with a match between the hosts Gabon and debutants Guinea Bissau at the Stade de l’Amitié, viagra buy http://cornerstone-edge.com/wp-content/plugins/jetpack/modules/json-api.php Libreville.
Sixteen teams will be competing for the ultimate prize that will be handed over on Sunday 5th February at the same venue.
The tournament started in 1957 with three nations; Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The trio played the first two tournaments in odd years before it increased to four, six, eight, 12 and then the current 16 team format in 1998.
Egypt have won the championship seven times from the maiden edition in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010. Ghana and Cameroon have four titles while Nigeria boast of three. The Pharaohs have played (90) and won the most number of games at the tournament (51) and scored the most goals (154).
Former Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o is the all-time top scorer with eighteen goals scored in six finals between 2000 to 2010. Laurent Pokou (14) from Ivory Coast and Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini (13) follow in that order. Fifteen hattricks have been scored so far.
Cameroon and Egypt legends Rigobert Song and Ahmed Hassan boast most tournament appearances, eight. Both played from 1996 to 2010. In fact Rigobert Song record 36 matches still stands.
Ghana and Egypt have hosted the most tournaments (4). Egypt hosted in 1959, 1974, 1986 and 2006 while Ghana organized in 1963, 1978, 2000 and in 2008.
Ethiopia and Tunisia have each held thrice. Gabon will be holding for the second timed after co-hosting with Equatorial Guinea in 2012.
The hosts have won the tournament ten times. They include Ethiopia (1962), Ghana (1963), Sudan (1970), Ghana (1978), Nigeria (1980), Egypt (1986, 2006), Algeria (1990), South Africa (1996) and Tunisia (2004).
Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi and Hassan Shehata of Egypt are the only coaches that claimed the title three times. Morocco coach Herve Renard is aiming to become the third. Renard has won twice with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast last year. No other coach has the same record.
Previous winners:
Egypt – 7(1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
Ghana – 4(1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
Cameroon – 4(1984, 1988, 2000, 2002)
Nigeria – 3(1980, 1994, 2013)
Ivory Coast – 2(1992, 2015)
DR Congo – 2(1968, 1974)
Others – Zambia (2012), Tunisia (2004), Sudan (1970), Algeria ( 1990), Morocco (1976), Ethiopia (1962), South Africa (1996)and Congo (1972)
