Is El-Hadary the most successful player in Africa Cup of Nations history?

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The Egypt stopper boasts the kind of Afcon track record that few can compete with

There’s no doubt that the Africa Cup of Nations plays a crucial role in the legacy-building of the continent’s finest players past and present.

This has played out during the African Legends Cup of Nations, where match-ups between our legendary African players have—on occasion—been decided based on the icons’ performances at international level.

On one hand, the likes of Ace Ntsoelengoe—who never played in a Nations Cup—and George Weah, who only dragged Liberia to the Group Stages on two occasions, have struggled when up against other African legends who enjoyed more success at the continental showpiece.

Similarly, some of the continent’s biggest names failed to get their hands on the biggest prize in the African game.

Didier Drogba’s Golden Generation never got the Ivory Coast over the line—at least not before the Chelsea great’s retirement—while Asamoah Gyan reached the semi-finals on six occasions, but never won the big one.

It’s a similar story for Nwankwo Kanu, who’s still standing in the Alcon after advancing past Kolo Toure and then Abedi Pele to reach the quarter-finals.

However, despite looking back on a storied career, the Nigeria superstar never clinched the big one, reaching five semis and one final but never getting over the line.

It would have been a different story, of course, had Kanu been a little younger and represented the Super Eagles at the 1994 Afcon, although he did win an Olympic gold medal—the highlight of his long international career.

At the other end of the scale, few of the continent’s greats can compete with Egypt’s Essam El-Hadary, who has left an indelible mark on the tournament’s history.

Considering the goalkeeper’s track record; he has won the Afcon on four occasions—1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010—the equal best in the tournament history along with compatriot Ahmed Hassan.

While El-Hadary wasn’t present in 1996, Hassan’s first tournament, nor the 2004 campaign, he still returned to the continental high table in 2017 as the Pharaohs enjoyed a run to the final, where they were defeated by Cameroon.

He may have ultimately fallen short at the final hurdle in Gabon, he demonstrated his enduring class with a series of decisive saves—notably in the semi-final shootout against Burkina Faso—as the Pharaohs returned to the competition in style.

His record is underpinned by his longevity—he remains the oldest player to feature in a World Cup after taking to the field for the North Africans in Russia—and his presence as part of Egypt’s Golden Generation.

Confirmed @Pharaohs XI vs. Saudi Arabia. After Wague became Africa's youngest goalscorer, El Hadary is in to become the World Cup's oldest player (sorry Faryd), can Salah finally leave his mark on this most disappointing of tournaments for him?pic.twitter.com/6nfydpzpTl

Along with Hassan, Ahmed Fathy, Wael Gomaa and Emad Moteab, El-Hadary was part of all three of the Pharaohs’ successes between 2006 and 2010, playing in all three final victories.

During those triumphs, he played a key role against some of Africa’s top strikers—including Drogba, Gyan and Samuel Eto’o, proving that he could hold his own against the very best.

Indeed, Drogba later described the keeper as his toughest opponent, which is testament to the stopper’s quality in one-on-one situations…perhaps the Chelsea great would have got his hands on the continent’s grandest prize.

On four occasions, El-Hadary made the Afcon Team of the Tournament, no one has made the selection more often, and no goalkeeper has ever left as big an impact on the competition.

2020-05-12 18:00:06