Do you know that no AFCON winner has qualified for the quarterfinals in the seven (7) tournaments?
That may sound strange, but it is the reality. What this means is that since 2012, all winners of the AFCON have not been able to defend the trophy well enough, let alone bypass the round of 16. It also means that, since 2010, no defending champion of the AFCON has won the trophy back-to-back.
Details and Date to Prove That No AFCON Winner Has Qualified for the Quarterfinals in the 7 Tournaments
During the 2012 tournament, Egypt, who were the defending champions, did not qualify for the tournament at all.
In 2013, Zambia, which won the trophy for the first time, was eliminated from the tournament at the group stage.
In 2013, Nigeria won the AFCON, but they did not even qualify for the tournament to get the chance of being kicked out in the group stage. Ivory Coast won that competition.
However, the elimination of previous winners continued as Ivory Coast were eliminated in the 2017 tournament, and their quest to defend the title was dashed in the group stage of the competition.
In the 2017 AFCON, Cameroon were the champions of Africa once again; however, they were eliminated in the attempt to defend the title during the 2019 tournament. Cameroon was sent parking home in the round of 16.
The year, Algeria silenced the entire continent with great football and tenacity to win the trophy and enjoy the bragging rights that come with being champions, but just like their predecessor champions, their faith was determined as they were kicked out of the tournament in the round of 16. In 2021, Algeria was eliminated in the group stages.
No one anticipated or ever dreamed that Ivory Coast had what it takes to kill a big giant like Senegal, who is Africa’s number one team and was among the favourites to win the trophy.
READ: 2023 AFCON Quarterfinal Fixtures, Dates and Predictions
At the current 2023 AFCON underway in Ivory Coast, the host country managed to secure a sweet and well-fought four-goal victory in the round of 16 to knock out Senegal, the defeating champions, on a 5-4 penalty shootout after a 1-1 drawn game after extra time.
Whichever team lays a hand on the AFCON 2023 trophy must begin to plan and work super hard to break the 12-year trend or join the other defending champions who never went past the round of 16 in the next AFCON after they have won.
AFCON CURSE? No Champion Makes Quarterfinals in 7 Tournaments! Check it all over again.
For the 7th consecutive edition, the AFCON champion has not reached the quarter-final stage in the next tournament.
2012: Egypt Not qualified ❌
2013: Zambia Eliminated in groups ❌
2015: Nigeria Not qualified ❌
2017: Ivory Coast Eliminated in groups ❌
2019: Cameroon Eliminated in the round of 16 ❌
2021: Algeria Eliminated in groups ❌
2023: Senegal Eliminated in the round of 16 ❌
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