Elephants favourites to lift title

tournament, captain Didier Drogba and a star-packed squad must carry the burden of favouritism, which they failed to justify in Egypt, Ghana, Angola and Gabon/Equatorial Guinea.

They have come agonisingly close twice, losing penalty shootouts to hosts Egypt in Cairo seven years ago and to Zambia in Libreville last year, and the other two attempts ended in semi-finals and quarter-finals exits.

South Africa 2013 represents the last throw of the Africa Cup dice for ageing Drogba, who blazed a regular-time penalty well over the crossbar to help Zambia achieve a maiden title.

Converting a shootout spot kick was little consolation to the man who has achieved so much in his career, and who says this will be his last appearance at a competition first played 56 years ago in Sudan.

Cote d’lvoire have conquered Africa once, defeating Ghana in Dakar 21 years ago in another final settled by penalties, but that was long before the emergence of Drogba, Kolo and Yaya Toure, Didier Zokora and Emmanuel Eboue.

These stars are known as the ‘golden generation’ of Ivorian football, but the best any of them has managed so far is silver when it comes to the post-final medals’ presentation.

“Coming to South Africa for the 2013 Cup of Nations will be special for me,” Drogba told Ivorian reporters. “We have twice come so close to winning this tournament.
African Cup of Nations champions ahead of 2013 tournament in South Africa
1957: Egypt
1959: Egypt
1962: Ethiopia
1963: Ghana
1965: Ghana
1968: Zaire
1970: Sudan
1972: Congo Brazzaville
1974: Zaire
1976: Morocco
1978: Ghana
1980: Nigeria
1982: Ghana
1984: Cameroon
1986: Egypt
1988: Cameroon
1990: Algeria
1992: Ivory Coast
1994: Nigeria
1996: South Africa
1998: Egypt
2000: Cameroon
2002: Cameroon
2004: Tunisia
2006: Egypt
2008: Egypt
2010: Egypt
2012: Zambia

Titles
7: Egypt
4: Cameroon, Ghana
2: Nigeria, Zaire
1: Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia
Note: Zaire later ren.amed the Democratic Republic of Congo — AFP