It’s already a winter classic. Even if every two years the clubs are scandalized and demand measures to protect their interests, the African Cup always comes back. And with it, the massive exodus of footballers from the continent, from the main European leagues, also from … the Spanish one. Morocco hosts this year’s edition, from December 21 to January 18, with 24 participating teams who finished building their squads this week, since next Monday is the deadline set by FIFA for players to join them.
This weekend will therefore be the last before many teams find themselves without some of their players for an extended period, also in a particularly delicate period of the calendar. Despite the recurring clamor, there is no simple short-term solution. The African Cup defends its major tournament for national teams with the same legitimacy as Europe promotes the European Cup or South America the Copa América, and the difficult climate of the continent prevents, with a few exceptions, moving it to the summer.
In total, 47 African footballers participate in the Spanish First Division, of which 15 have been called up, or 32%. This figure is not disproportionate, but there is an obvious disproportion between some teams and others, both in number and in specific weight of victims. Real Betis are the worst off. Manuel Pellegrini’s team will be without Abde, Amrabat and Bakambu, the first two called up by Morocco and the last by the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are three players who play an important role in the green and white squad, in particular the two Moroccans, holders of the starting eleven and decisive on more than one occasion.
Villarreal is not far behind in terms of impact. Marcelino will be forced to face next month without pivot Pape Gueye (Senegal) or winger Ilias Akhomach (Morocco), although in his case he avoids a bigger problem thanks to the non-call of Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast). Íñigo Pérez will also lose two footballers from Rayo Vallecano, Pathé Ciss (Senegal) and Randy Nteka (Angola), and two other Almeydas in Seville: Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke, both with Nigeria.
Important loss also for Girona with the call-up of Azzedine Ounahi, one of the most notable players of the Catalan team in its irregular career. He will be the fourth Moroccan summoned to the Spanish League. The fifth and last is Brahim Díaz, Real Madrid’s only absence for the competition. Neither Atlético nor Barcelona, the other teams in the upper zone, will have to give up players.
Cameroon will also welcome Osasunista Enzo Boyomo and Levante striker Etta Eyong, Granota’s top scorer in the first third of the season. In addition, the Angolan David Carmo will leave Real Oviedo’s defense weakened, while Espanyol will lose the Congolese Charles Pickel, a regular replacement in Manolo González’s plan.
A complicated month
The real impact for the teams will depend on how each team progresses in the tournament. Elimination in the group stage means at least two days lost; Reaching the round of 16 brings the number to three, and reaching the quarter-finals or semi-finals triggers the absence of up to four full league matches. Between the two the round of 16 and round of 16 of the Copa del Rey are also played, as well as the semi-finals and the final of the Super Cup. A whole month, with no shortcuts or magic solutions.
Several Second Division days will also be affected, which will lose players, although to a lesser extent. In the absence of definitive confirmation of all the lists, the Congolese Brian Cipenga (Castellón), the Zambian David Hamansenya (Leganés), the Cameroonian Patrick Soko (Almería) and the Equatorial Guinean Jesús Owono seem to be summoned. Everything indicates that the Algerian Luca Zidane will also be.
In total, the Spanish League can even consider itself lucky compared to the Premier League or Ligue 1, two championships which will suffer much more from the rout of African internationals. Sunderland, the revelation team of the season in England, will lose up to six players, a loss that will be difficult to stem. Manchester United are not doing well either, who will find themselves without Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco). Egyptians Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Omar Marmoush (Manchester City) are other big stars of English football called up for the tournament. France, the usual destination for many African players, will also suffer as the competition develops, although it will ease some of the impact with the championship paused until the first week of January.
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Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
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Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
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Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
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Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
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Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
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Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
2025 will be the 35th edition of the African Cup, the most successful team of which is Egypt. The Pharaohs have won the title seven times, most recently in 2010, and have reached the final on three other occasions. Cameroon, with five winners, and Ghana, with four, complete the historic podium. The Black Stars, the selection of Iñaki Williams and Thomas Partey, among others, are notably absent from the final phase.
Ivory Coast defends its title by establishing itself as host of the 2023 edition, curiously organized in January 2024. But the big favorite remains Morocco. The team led by Walid Regragui appears to be the biggest power on the continent after reaching the semi-finals of the last World Cup and does not want to miss the opportunity to play at home. This would be his second African Cup. The only one that shines in its windows was conquered in 1976, almost half a century ago.
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