The Africa Cup of Nations: The History of an Underappreciated Tournament

by Ben Jackson

The Africa Cup of Nations explores the vibrant history of one of football' s iconic but often overlooked international tournaments.

For a long time, the Africa Cup of Nations has been seen as a nuisance to European clubs and fans. However, the tournament has a rich history and is fast becoming an event that brings together the finest players in the world. Africa' s cup has witnessed some tremendous teams, from the great Ghana side of the 1960s, to the Zaire team of the 1970s, right up to the dominant Egypt side of the 2000s.

There are many stories of redemption and achievement, such as the return of South Africa in the 1990s following apartheid, and the triumph of Zambia after the tragedy of 1993. The book brings us all the great teams, managers and players who have lit up the tournament. As well as turning the spotlight on African football, it examines the history of African states, looking at how events off the pitch – including apartheid in South Africa and anti-colonial movements – impacted those on it.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2024

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Reviews

[Lion's Rock · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a real struggle. And not just because the cover and insert aren't sure whether this book is about the 'African' or 'Africa' Cup of Nations. But, first, credit to author Ben Jackson for writing the first book about AFCON. And, secondly, the structure, where teams' glorious eras are summarised without sticking to chronology, works well.

In a book of many facts, there are naturally a few errors (the 2021 Cameroon finals, held in 2022, were not originally scheduled for 2020), but the main problem is the incessant run of mini match reports in each chapter. Large tracts of this book could have been written by AI. The author could have brought in his own experiences, interviewed people who were actually at the tournaments, or drawn out the history or intrigue of certain key players, stadiums or matches. The epilogue hints at what this book could have been, bringing together interesting themes rather than trying to cover almost every match in AFCON history.

[Stephen Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read