Pelatih Real Madrid, Alvaro Arbeloa, memuji Fede Valverde dengan pujian yang luar biasa setelah kemenangan telak 3-0 atas Manchester City, menggambarkan gelandang tersebut sebagai tolok ukur ultimate bagi klub. Arbeloa menekankan bahwa Valverde mewakili semua kualitas yang harus dimiliki oleh seorang pemain Real Madrid dan tetap menjadi tolok ukur definitif untuk era modern setelah penampilannya yang memukau di Liga Champions.
Bek Chelsea, Wesley Fofana, telah mengkritik keras kesalahan pertahanan timnya setelah kekalahan telak 5-2 dari Paris Saint-Germain di Liga Champions. Meskipun berhasil menyamakan kedudukan dua kali, serangkaian kesalahan di menit-menit akhir memberikan tiga gol tambahan bagi juara Prancis, meninggalkan Chelsea dengan tugas berat menjelang leg kedua yang krusial di Stamford Bridge pekan depan.
Setelah pertandingan, terjadi insiden kecil antara mantan pemain Milan dan gelandang Uruguay, yang menjadi bintang pertandingan dengan mencetak hat-trick.
Kiper Chelsea, Filip Jorgensen, mengalami mimpi buruk di Liga Champions saat menghadapi Paris Saint-Germain. Dengan skor imbang 2-2, kesalahan umpan fatalnya dari lini belakang memberikan Vitinha kesempatan untuk mencetak gol dengan tendangan lob yang cerdik. Kesalahan mengerikan ini memicu keruntuhan di akhir pertandingan, meninggalkan tim asuhan Liam Rosenior menghadapi defisit besar 5-2 menjelang leg kedua dan merusak musim mereka secara keseluruhan.
Pelatih Bayer Leverkusen, Kasper Hjulmand, mengkritik keras penalti kontroversial di menit-menit akhir yang memungkinkan Arsenal lolos dengan hasil imbang 1-1 dalam leg pertama babak 16 besar Liga Champions. Meskipun pelatih asal Denmark itu memuji penampilan disiplin timnya melawan Arsenal di BayArena, ia mengungkapkan ketidakpercayaannya terhadap keputusan wasit, menggambarkan kekalahan di menit-menit akhir sebagai pil pahit yang harus ditelan dalam pertandingan pembuka babak tersebut.
Egypt are the team who have won the most AFCON titles in history, with seven to their name. It was in 1957, the inaugural edition of AFCON, where Egypt attained glory. They would go on to add three more trophies before the turn of the century (1957, 1986, 1998), before completing a threepeat in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
How many teams are in the AFCON?
The first-ever AFCON featured just three teams. Between 1968 and 1990, eight teams featured in the tournament. An expansion in 1992 saw 12 teams feature in AFCON, and 16 from 1998. The latest expansion in 2019, though, sees 24 teams fight for glory.
Who has made the most AFCON appearances ever?
Cameroon legend Rigobert Song set the record of most AFCON appearances in 2010, playing in his 36th game in the tournament. That record was equalled by Ghanaian icon Andre Ayew in 2024.
Who is the all-time top scorer of the AFCON?
Cameroon icon Samuel Eto'o leads the all-time goalscoring charts with an impressive 18 goals over the course of 29 matches during six different tournaments.
Who is the oldest player ever in the AFCON and how old was he?
Egypt's Essam El Hadary is the oldest player ever to play in AFCON at the age of 44 years and 21 days. He achieved this feat in 2017 during Egypt's 2-1 loss to Cameroon.
Who is the youngest player ever in the AFCON and how old was he?
Former Ghana defender Joseph Odoi made his AFCON debut in 1984 at the age of 15 years and 164 days, becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the African Cup of Nations.
Which famous players have played in the AFCON?
Samuel Eto'o, Mohamed Salah, Yaya Toure, Didier Drogba, Jay-Jay Okocha, Sadio Mane, Roger Milla, Ahmed Hassan, George Weah, etc, are some of the biggest names to have featured in the African Cup of Nations.
Which famous managers have managed in the AFCON?
Charles Gyamfi, Hassan Shehata, Herve Renard, and Avram Grant are some of the most famous coaches to have led their respective teams at AFCON.