AFCON
As Mauritania Arrive With Four Brothers, CAF Presents Other Siblings Who Played Together At AFCON –
- Mauritania to have four brothers in CAF AFCON 2023
- Hassan brothers the only siblings to have lifted the title together twice
- The Toure and Ayew brothers,with six intstances, have played the most AFCON titles together
The 34th edition of Africa’s biggest event, the CAF Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in less than 48 hours, with 24 strong African nations set to battle it out for Africa’s most coveted title.
With all 24 teams raring to go, CAFOnline takes a look interesting statistical information of brothers playing in the same national team at the various editions of the AFCON.
In the history of the competition, six siblings have managed to win the trophy: the Ethiopians Italo and Luciano Vassalo in 1962, the Congolese Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi in 1974, the Cameroonians André and François Biyik in 1988, the Zambians Christopher and Felix Katongo in 2012, the Ivorians Yaya and Kolo Touré in 2015.
Egypt’s Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan have achieved the feat of winning two CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1986 and 1998 together.
- Kolo and Yaya Touré (Cote d’Ivoire – AFCON 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 & 2015)
Football-wise, Kolo and Yaya have experienced almost everything. For years, they were teammates and opponents in the English Premier League but when asked what their biggest emotion as players was, they pointed to their victory in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2015.
Before reaching the holy grail in Equatorial Guinea, the Touré brothers had played in five AFCON competitions.
- André and Jordan Ayew (Ghana – AFCON 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 & 2023)
AFCON 2023 will be the sixth edition that Abedi Pelé’s sons will play together. In 2015, André and Jordan Ayew were on the verge of winning their first continental title but couldn’t wrestle the might of Côte d’Ivoire during an endless penalty shootout.
- André Kana Biyik and François Omam Biyik (Cameroon – AFCON 1988, 1990 and 1992)
The two wield distinct skill sets. The youngest François, is an elegant striker; his goal scored in the 1990 World Cup against Diego Maradona’s Argentina lives on.
The two brothers played together in three AFCON competitions.
- Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan (Egypt 1986 & 1998)
Until now, no siblings have managed to do better than them. The Hassan brothers achieved the feat of winning two AFCON titles.
- Alain and Traoré (Burkina Faso – 2015 and 2017)
Finalists in 2013, and after an unsuccessful attempt in 2015, the two brothers had to settle for a bronze medal in 2017.
- Sambou and Mustapha Yatabaré (Mali – 2015 and 2017)
Now retired, the two Malian brothers defended the colors of Mali in 2015 and 2017. The two participations ended in elimination in the first round of the competition.
- Christopher and Felix Katongo (Zambia – 2012 and 2013)
Zambia won its first TotalEnergies CAF AFCON in 2012. Christopher Katongo participated in this fantastic odyssey alongside his younger brother Félix.
But this wasn’t a Zambian first. In 1994 and 1996, Kenneth and Mordon Malitoli became the first Zambian siblings to compete in the competition.
- Italo and Luciano Vassalo (Ethiopia – 1962)
Luciano and Italo Vassalo are the first brothers to have played in the same team during the 1962 edition in Addis Ababa. Luciano would later be crowned best player of the competition, a first for an Ethiopian player.
- Nouh Mohamed El Abd, Sidi Ahmed Mohamed El Abd, Lamine Ba and El Hadji Ba (Mauritania – 2023)
For the 2023 edition, four brothers are making an appearance for Mauritania. Nouh Mohamed El Abd and his little brother Sidi Ahmed Mohamed El Abd. Both players play at FC Nouadhibou, Nouh in defense and Sidi in the middle.
Lamine Ba will also be accompanied by his brother El Hadji. Born in France, Ba brothers will play their first Africa Cup of Nations with Mauritania.
- Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi (DR Congo – 1974)
Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi represented Democratic Republic of Congo. They are one of six siblings to have won the AFCON.
Ghana also had two pairs of brothers during the 2008 edition, Asamoah Gyan was accompanied by his big brother Baffour. The Kingston family was also represented by Richard and Laryea.
In 2004, Zimbabwean Peter Ndlovu played in the competition with his brother Adam.
During this same edition, Benin had Tchomogo Oumar and Seidath. In 2000, Salou, Bachirou and Tadjou brought joy to Togo, just like Mohamed and Musa Kallon with Sierra Leone in 1996. The 1994 AFCON saw Samir and Adel Sellimi defend the colors of Tunisia.
Faced with internal challenges that include players’ injuries and boycotts, the Libyan coach, Nasser Al-Hadhiri is believed by local press as facing a ‘near-impossible mission’ in Nigeria.
“The team’s mission against Nigeria seems almost impossible. The Nigerian team has a strong squad, led by names such as Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface, which makes the task more difficult for the Libyan team”, Akhbarlibya24 editorialised.
It further reported that despite the difficult situation, the Libyan coach, Nasser Al-Hadhiri remains somewhat optimistic, as he hopes to achieve a positive result. He remarked: “We realize that winning against Nigeria is difficult, but we seek to return with a draw that will be positive for us and restore our hope in competing for qualification.”
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
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