Daily Archives: January 28, 2024

Why you should be watching the Africa Cup of Nations


“There’s just something about international football and if you haven’t been watching this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, then, frankly, where have you been? This year’s tournament, called AFCON 2023 because it was originally planned to be held last summer, has had it all so far, with spectacular goals and performances heaped among a healthy dose of drama on and off the pitch. From heavyweights Ghana and Algeria crashing out to underdogs Equatorial Guinea and Cape Verde upsetting the odds, there has been something for everyone — and that’s before we even get to hosts Ivory Coast sacking their head coach mid-tournament. Here, a selection of writers from The Athletic reflect on their favourite moments of AFCON 2023 and what they’re looking forward to in the knockout stages. …”
The Athletic

Ivory Coast: A portrait of an AFCON host nation given a second chance Ivory Coast, fans


“On one of the main highways in Treichville, a bustling district in the Ivory Coast’s economic capital Abidjan, people weave in and out of traffic trying to sell you everything you can possibly imagine. Vendors skirt around the hoods of cars and nimbly sidestep out of the way of motorcycles to offer up sunglasses, pillows, toothpicks, perfumes, footballs, socks, carpets and cameras through small gaps in the windows. Women in traditional dresses glide across the cracked asphalt on sandals to supply you with peanuts, fruit and local delicacies while a man strolls through the gridlocked vehicles pushing a large wooden wheelbarrow. …”
The Athletic