Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan was named Most Valuable Player of the 2010 African Cup of Nations, while he was already a major footballer in The Pharaohs squad and a well-recognized face in African football. But his successors to the AFCON MVP title in the following editions (2012 to 2019) were less expected at this level, cafonline.com reported.
In Egypt 2019, and while everyone expected Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane, winners of this year’s UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, and even Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, champion of England with Manchester City, it was Ismael Bennacer (Algeria) who stole the show from everyone.
Born in France, Bennacer played for several youth teams before joining Italy’s Empoli in 2017. Prior to that and after playing for France national U-18 and U-19 teams, Bennacer opted to play for Les Fennecs in August 2016.
In his first AFCON in Gabon 2017, Algeria was eliminated from the group stage. But two years later in Egypt, he was one of the stars in Djamel Belmadi side that went all the way to the title.
His excellence in midfield not just earned him “Man of the Competition” award, but also a move a month later to Italian and European giants AC Milan.
In Gabon 2017, it was Cameroon’s Christian Bassogog who surprisingly won the MVP award.
Like the Indomitable Lions who arrived in Gabon without star players, and managed a sluggish first round, Bassogog, who was playing in Aalborg (Denmark) at the time, rose to stardom later.
With his teammates under the leadership of Belgian coach Hugo Broos, they went to the ultimate winning their 5th Africa Cup of Nations title.
Back in Equatorial Guinea 2015, Ghana’s Christian Atsu was named the best player.
Another surprising performance by Atsu, then struggling to have a place in Everton’s team, stole the show from his Black Stars teammates Asamoah Gyan, Andre Ayew and Mubarak Wakaso. He was the star leading Ghana to the final before losing to Cote d’Ivoire on penalties.
Two years earlier, in South Africa 2013, Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa was the on who delighted the AFCON viewers.
Starting from Germany’s Hamburg SV, Pitroipa rose to stardom at France’s Stade Rennais. He came to AFCON to guide The Stallions to their best ever participation, reaching the final before losing narrowly to Nigeria. His performances earned him the MVP award besides the silver medal.
A year earlier, it was Zambia’s Chris Katongo who led Chipolopolo for glory, when Zambia surprised the world and defied all odds to win their first – and only to the moment – AFCON title in the edition co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Katongo, then striker of China’s Henan Jianye, scored two goals against Libya and Equatorial Guinea, and added one more the quarterfinals 3-0 win over Sudan.
In the final, Katongo had the nerves to take the first penalty in the shoot-out against Didier Drogba’s Cote d’Ivoire, leading Zambia to glory.
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