Overview

The Africa Cup of Nations explores the vibrant history of one of football’s iconic but often overlooked international tournaments. For a long time, the Africa Cup of Nations has been seen as a nuisance to European clubs and fans. However, the tournament has a rich history and is fast becoming an event that brings together the finest players in the world. Africa’s cup has witnessed some tremendous teams, from the great Ghana side of the 1960s, to the Zaire team of the 1970s, right up to the dominant Egypt side of the 2000s. There are many stories of redemption and achievement, such as the return of South Africa in the 1990s following apartheid, and the triumph of Zambia after the tragedy of 1993. The book brings us all the great teams, managers and players who have lit up the tournament. As well as turning the spotlight on African football, it examines the history of African states, looking at how events off the pitch – including apartheid in South Africa and anti-colonial movements – impacted those on it.

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9781801506601

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Reviews

"""Ben Jackson's colourful book on AFCON is a more than helpful guide to the competition's history… [It should] bring him plenty of new fans!"" -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *"

"""Ben Jackson's colourful book on AFCON is a more than helpful guide to the competition's history… [It should] bring him plenty of new fans!"" -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio * ""I enjoyed this book. It brought me back to my insatiable reading of football books during my formative years which, for better or for worse, influenced my decision to be a sport historian… Jackson’s enthusiasm for African football shines through as he attempts to retell the story of legendary teams and the legendary players who are largely absent from Eurocentric histories of football. Jackson uses a nice array of newspaper reports, images and retellings of the final to create a sort of all-encompassing history which focuses as much on the crowd reactions as the play on the pitch. In this, Jackson blends historical research with an excitement that is difficult to ignore."" -- Dr Conor Heffernan * Soccer & Society *"

Author Information

Ben Jackson is an African football and history enthusiast who has a Master’s in African Politics from SOAS University in London. He has written for various websites about African history, African politics and African football. Ben is also the editor in chief of Belgian football for Get Football, as well as the founder and host of the Belgian Football Podcast. The African Cup of Nations is his first book.

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