Football in Africa is on an upward trajectory, and if the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has taught us anything, it's that the continent is closer to its European rival in terms of quality, and miles ahead with its competitiveness.
The 34th edition of AFCON has already produced some incredible, unforgettable moments that have been engraved into the history books.
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One of the tournament favourites, hosts Ivory Coast, were left praying for a place in the knockout rounds when they completed their round of group-stage fixtures. Their prayers were seemingly answered as they narrowly weaved their way into the round of 16.
Cape Verde, meanwhile, surpassed expectations by topping their group with seven points, beating Ghana and picking up a 2-2 draw against Egypt.
To put this into perspective, Opta Analyst used a supercomputer to predict who would win AFCON 2023. Cape Verde was given a 0.9% chance of winning the title, while Ghana were calculated to have a 5.9% chance of becoming champions and Egypt were thought to have an 8.5% of winning the lot.
This competition has certainly been full of surprises and results that would make you question who the strongest teams in Africa really are.
Algeria, for instance, were tournament winners in 2019 and were pegged to be one of the favourites (with a 9.7% chance, according to the supercomputer) heading into this one, but they have already been knocked out despite boasting star players such as former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, AS Roma midfielder Houssem Aouar, and Belgian Pro League player Mohamed Amoura. These are players who are doing, or have done, relatively well in Europe but failed to make an impression on their most recent return to the continent.
In their final group-stage match, they lost to a Mauritania side that were calculated to have a 0.6% chance of emerging from the competition as victors. They are also currently 105th in FIFA's world rankings compared to Algeria, who are 30th. These sorts of upsets are very hard to recall in various European competitions.
Other African giants, including Tunisia and Ghana, have also already exited the competition. Even in terms of players, none of the big names who ply their trade in Europe are in and around the conversation for the Golden Boot.
Napoli star Victor Osimhen has elevated himself to become one of the biggest names in European football, but despite featuring in all of Nigeria's group-stage matches, he has managed to bag just one goal.
VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy made waves in the Bundesliga this season by bagging 17 goals in 14 league appearances, which equates to just over a goal per game. He, however, has yet to open his account at AFCON 2023 in the one match he has played.
The competition has also taken fans through a whirlwind of emotions during matches, with 13 of the 89 goals in the group stage coming after the 90-minute mark, adding to the excitement and demonstrating how teams cannot afford to rest on their laurels until the referee blows that final whistle.
With the round of 16 fast approaching, that sound will signal intense heartbreak for one side and bliss for the other. It remains hard to predict who exactly will feel what, based on past events. The only way onlookers can prepare themselves for what is to come is by expecting things that only people with the most vivid of imaginations can think up.
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