My first stage is sport explained to children. Here, we answer all their questions, we decipher the rules, we tell the stories of great athletes, we learn everything about sport. In this 5-episode series, we focus on the CAN, on the occasion of the 35th edition which takes place in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
In this episode, Cahil, 10 years old, a young footballer in Reims, in eastern France and a big supporter of the Morocco team, is interested in the popularity of the players.
During the last edition in Ivory Coast, in 2024, nearly 2 billion people followed the CAN matches in front of their television. That’s a lot of people to contemplate the exploits or the setbacks of the players.
Popularity can also arise from a missed penalty in the final or an own goal. For example Salim Magoola, the Ugandan replacement goalkeeper during this CAN in Morocco would surely have liked to avoid the spotlight. Guilty of a hand save outside the area, he received a red card 10 minutes after coming on during Uganda’s final group match against Nigeria.
Other players like Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakim before them Didier Drogba or Georges Weah, to name just a few, did not wait for the CAN to become stars.
Mohamed Salah already has a good track record with his club Liverpool, considered one of even the best player in Egyptian football, he has not yet managed to win the CAN before this 35th edition. The Ivorian Didier Drogba and his 8 nominations for the Golden Ball will never have had this chance either.
Other more anonymous players, however, managed to shine during the CAN. With mixed results for the rest of their career. Sunday Mba, a modest Nigerian midfielder, became a national hero after his goal in the final against Burkina Faso. His only goal allowed Nigeria to win the competition but had no effect on his sporting career.
However, good performances during the CAN are crucial for the players. Beyond victory, they can also hope to attract the desire of clubs, particularly in European championships.
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