Salah, Drogba & More: Africa's Greats Who Never Won Afcon

Across Africa's football history, some of the game's greatest names never lifted the continent's top prize. While Mohamed Salah gears up for another Afcon bid with Egypt, a select group of icons highlight how timing and team effort matter more than individual brilliance when chasing Africa's main trophy. INLIBER Sport Africa revisits five stars who fell short of Afcon glory.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

At 33, Salah remains Egypt's captain and one of Africa's most prolific scorers. The Pharaohs have won Afcon seven times, but their last triumph came in 2010, leaving Salah and his teammates chasing the drought across a decade and more.

His Afcon journey began in 2017 when Egypt lost the final to Cameroon in a dramatic match decided in extra time.

Egypt missed out on Afcon qualification in 2012, 2013, and 2015, so Salah's early international years contained limited Afcon action. He finally tasted a final in 2019, only for South Africa to shock them in the last 16 at home.

The 2021 edition brought a familiar heartbreak: Egypt reached the final against Senegal, but the shootout ended 4-2 to the Lions of Teranga, denying Salah his continental title as a team mission.

In 2023, an injury during the group phase sidelined him, and Egypt were eliminated by DR Congo in the knockout rounds. With the Afcon finals returning to Morocco in 2025, Salah still has a chance to crown his extraordinary career with Africa's premier prize.

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

The Chelsea legend was renowned for delivering in big games, but Afcon's trophy eluded him at the moment it mattered most for Ivory Coast.

Captaining the Elephants, Drogba led them to two finals — 2006 and 2012 — where penalties decided the outcome. In 2006, a saved spot kick in a shootout against Egypt helped the hosts win, and in 2012 he missed a late spot attempt as Zambia triumphed on penalties.

He did score in the shootout in 2012, but Ivory Coast still fell short. Drogba retired from international football in 2014. Ivory Coast broke the curse in 2015, beating Ghana on penalties to claim Afcon glory, a victory that occurred after Drogba’s international career had ended.

George Weah (Liberia)

George Weah remains the continent's most famous Ballon d'Or winner, having claimed football's top individual prize in 1995 and earning Africa's best player award that year for a second time.

Yet Liberia's Afcon appearances were few. Weah was part of the squad in 1996 and 2002, the country’s only two Afcon campaigns. In 1996, Nigeria pulled out of the tournament, leaving Liberia with a brief group-stage showing before exiting on goal difference. In 2002, Weah's late-stage career could not carry Liberia past the group phase.

Beyond football, Weah served as Liberia's president from 2018 to 2024, influencing the nation's sports and broader political landscape.

Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)

The elegant forward enjoyed club glory across Europe and Africa, including the Champions League with Ajax and the Uefa Cup with Inter Milan, and a memorable spell at Arsenal.

But the Afcon trophy remained elusive for Kanu. He was part of Nigeria's squads that reached the 2000 final, only to lose on penalties after his kick saved. The Super Eagles later reached semis in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2010, with other runs ending in disappointment.

Alongside Olympic gold and African youth success, Kanu retired with a decorated career but never a Cup of Nations title.

Michael Essien (Ghana)

Michael Essien stands as one of Ghana's most talented midfielders, a generation that produced real world-class quality for Africa’s teams.

Ghana won Afcon once in 1982, well before Essien's time, and his era saw frequent near-misses. He featured in the 2002 quarter-finals, the 2008 tournament hosted by Ghana where the team reached the semi-finals, and the 2010 edition which ended in a semi-final defeat as Egypt went on to win the trophy.

Persistent injuries often limited his international appearances, and while he helped Ghana conquer the world stage with strong performances, Afcon gold never materialized for him on the national team stage.

Expert comment

Expert analysis: These stories show that Afcon success depends on more than star power. A cohesive squad, consistent selection, and timing with a generation often decide the trophy.

Short summary

Across five global icons, Afcon glory has remained just out of reach despite extraordinary club success and global fame. Salah might still seize the crown in 2025, while Drogba’s era serves as a reminder of how penalties can swing finals. Weah, Kanu, and Essien illustrate Africa's deep talent pool, whose impact on world football endures even without Afcon gold.

Key insight: Afcon success is shaped by team dynamics and timing as much as individual brilliance. BBC Sport

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