For eventual champions Ivory Coast, the tournament was a rollercoaster. They lost two group games and barely qualified for the knockout stages. The shaky start led to the sacking of manager Jean-Louis Gasset, who was replaced by Emerse Fae, who guided the host nation to AFCON glory.
Interim manager Emerse Fae told the waiting media that winning felt like a fairytale.
“Frankly, I still can’t believe we’ve done it. We’re miraculous. We went and got the cup because we didn’t give up. We know how to bounce back despite the hard times.” Exclaimed a delighted Fae.
Morocco were favoured to win the AFCON after their 4th-place finish in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, but South Africa caused a massive shock by beating the Atlas Lions in the Round of 16. Bafana Bafana finished third in the tournament after beating DR Congo on penalties, clinching the bronze medal.
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According to CAF President Patrice Motsepe, 2 billion people tuned in globally, making this edition the most-watched AFCON tournament in its history.
With exciting games and shock exits, AFCON 2023 is cemented in history as football fans worldwide look ahead to the 2025 tournament in Morocco.
