Afcon 2025: Salah, Drogba, big players wey never win Africa biggest football prize

At 33 years old, na now or neva be dis for Egypt captain?

Di Pharaohs na di most successful team for Afcon history, wit seven titles overall.

But dem neva win di tournament again since dem complete hat-trick for 2010 – and dat long dry spell cover all of Salah international career, since e make im debut for Egypt in 2011.

Funny enof, Egypt no even qualify for 2012, 2013 and 2015 Afcon, so Salah first play di tournament for 2017, wen di North Africans lose final to Cameroon.

Salah wey win African Footballer of di Year for 2017 and 2018 still face heartbreak for home soil during Afcon 2019, as South Africa shock Egypt knock dem out for last 16.

Egypt come reach final again for 2021 Afcon – match wey Salah lose to im former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, afta di game go penalty.

Dem keep Salah for di important fifth penalty kick, but e no even reach im turn as Senegal win di shootout 4-2.

For Afcon 2023, Salah get injury during group stage, and di Egypt all-time second top scorer watch helplessly as DR Congo knock im team out for second round.

Drogba na always di man for big occasions for Chelsea e score nine goals for 10 major finals for di Blues and later lift trophy for eight of those matches.

But di striker sharp instinct fail am wen e captain Ivory Coast twice for Afcon finals, as penalty bicom im major problem.

For 2006, di Elephants face penalty shootout against host Egypt, but Drogba miss im first kick as di keeper save am, and di Pharaohs win 4-2.

Ivory Coast come reach final again for 2012 as clear favourites against Zambia, but Drogba wahala again come from penalty.

Wit 10 minutes wey remain, e get chance to put Ivory Coast ahead, but e send di penalty fly go over di crossbar.

Even though Drogba score for di final shootout, im team still lose again.

For im oda Afcon campaigns, Ivory Coast finish fourth for 2008 and crash out for quarter-finals for 2010 and 2013, bifor e retire from international football for August 2014.

Six months later, Ivory Coast beat Ghana for di 2015 Afcon final ironically, na penalty again decide am.

Even though Drogba be serial winner and play big role to help end im country civil war, Afcon title na di one tin wey escape am.

For individual awards, di former Paris St-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea striker dey above evri oda African footballer.

Weah remain di only African wey don ever win di Ballon d’Or, as e collect di trophy for 1995 di same year wey dem name am African Footballer of di Year for di second time.

But e no fit repeat di same big club success wit im kontri, Liberia, wey only qualify for Afcon twice wit Weah inside di squad.

For di 1996 Afcon, West Africans play only two group matches for dia first tournament appearance, afta Nigeria withdraw. Dem comot based on goal difference, afta dem beat Gabon and lose to Zaire (wey dem now dey call DR Congo).

Liberia return to Afcon for 2002, wen Weah career don dey reach end.

At age 35, e score im only Afcon goal for di opening draw against Mali, but di Lone Stars still fail to qualify from di group again.

Afta e captain im kontri for Africa biggest football competition, Weah later go on to lead Liberia for world stage as president from 2018 to 2024.

Di calm striker wey get smooth touch enjoy beta club career full of trophies. E win Champions League wit Ajax and Uefa Cup wit Inter Milan bifor e later get successful time wit Arsenal.

Bifor dat time, Kanu don already write im name for Nigerian football history as important member of di teams wey win Under-17 World Cup for 1993 and Olympic gold medal for Atlanta 1996.

But Afcon trophy no gree follow am. Di closest wey e reach na for 2000, wen Super Eagles lose di final to Cameroon on penalties.

Kanu, wey be 23 years old dat time, miss im penalty as goalkeeper save am, and Nigeria no ever return to Afcon final again throughout im international career.

Nigeria later lose for semi-finals for 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010, plus quarter-final exit for 2008.

Di two-time African Footballer of di Year retire wit Olympic gold medal, but for Afcon na only silver and bronze e collect.

Di last time Ghana win Afcon na way back for 1982, meaning say plenti generations of top players never fit lift di trophy wit di Black Stars.

Among dem na Essien, wey fit be im kontri most talented central midfielder.

Like Drogba, e win everitin with Chelsea between 2006 and 2012 but e no fit turn am into international success.

Teenage Essien dey part of di team wey dem beat for quarter-finals for 2002, Ghana no qualify for 2004, and injury make am miss 2006.

Dem include am for di team of di tournament when Ghana host 2008, but Cameroon beat dem for semis befor dem bounce back to secure third place.

Essien injure for middle of di 2010 tournament, wey force am to dey watch as im teammates reach di final for di first time in 18 years, but dem lose 1-0 to Egypt.

E play only small games for im kontri afta dat na Black Star wey light don dim sake of injury no dey gree leave am.